


Horizon+

by MotherKat



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:21:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 29,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27497863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MotherKat/pseuds/MotherKat
Summary: Inspired by the +game function, what if Aloy woke up after the game events back at Rost's lodge, prior to the game events, with all her memories intact.be warned I am a hardcore Ereloy shipper, so if that is not your deal please move along.Also I haven't written fanfic in decades, please be gentle.
Relationships: Aloy/Erend (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 73
Kudos: 95





	1. Awaken in your embrace

Aloy's head spun as she practically slid down from the spire, half carried by her allies Erend's armour was warm against her side as he helped her over the broken steps, she closed her eyes for the briefest of moments and when she opened them nothing was the same…

The first thing that alerted Aloy to the change was the bitter bite of snow in the air when seconds before there had been the dry heat of Meridian and the acrid smoke from the battle.

She was laid on her back blinking at the familiar eaves of Rost's cabin, her childhood home above her, the familiar scents of smoked meat, tanned hide and dried herbs surrounded her.

She stood and ran inventory on her body she noticed the burn, the tingles, the battle wear was all gone, she had no idea how but she appeared completely healed, for a moment she thought perhaps she had died.

Tapping her focus as she looked around everything was just as it was the day before the proving, the day that…

She heard her name called from outside of the lodge, Rost's voice, “Rost!” she leapt forward propelling herself toward her mentor with all her power and very little grace, enveloping him and landing them both on their backsides in the snow.

“cool your heels girl, I was just calling you for a lesson,” the dour man scuffed her auburn mane and began to pull himself to his feet, 

Aloy laughed, “a lesson, a lesson, you're alive Rost you're alive!” 

he looked confused, “did you have a nightmare Aloy? Shake it off, we have one last lesson before the proving” 

Aloy stared in shock, “before the proving? The proving was half a year ago, you’ve been… the proving? How can this be?” 

Rost’s large hand stayed on her shoulder, sat outside the cabin in the snow, worry lining his stalwart features, gently he spoke, “the proving is the day after tomorrow Aloy, can you tell me what you have seen?”

Aloy hauled herself to her feet, “let’s go inside, it’s a long story, and I think I need a cup of tea”. 

The bustle of normality, stoking the fire and boiling the kettle helped Aloy find her grounding as she poured out her story to her mentor, starting with the sawtooth and the lesson to prove her vision, she continued, through his plan to leave, meeting the outlanders, and the attack, her voice caught as realisation dawned, she could save them, Vala, Bast even Esra, but how?

Rost seemed oddly accepting of both her foresight and his death in her vision, “you were a gift from the all-mother Aloy, I always knew that, but she asks us to save ourselves, you’re here, we can find the solution” 

She smiled at that “anointed they say, or, will say I suppose” she shook her head, “perhaps I can avoid that too” 

It was Rost’s turn to shake his head, “I think you’ll need that, if we are to mend it all” 

Aloy looked hopefully at Rost, “we? You’ll help” 

he smiled, “for the Nora, for you”.

The plan was simple, avoid Olin at all costs, but how to seek out Erend, and gain his trust, without alerting his drinking buddy?

Rost put his head on his hands, “All-mother save me, you want to do what?” 

Aloy explained again, “if I dress like the Oseram tavern maids Erend admires then he will follow me away from the village, then I can talk to him, I have seen his eyes follow them” 

Rost sighed a deep sigh, “Aloy, I had thought Teersa would handle this when you joined the tribe" he wiped his hands on his knees, “if your Erend follows you away from the fire he'll not be doing it to listen to premonitions, especially if you dress yourself up as his favourite fancy,” he sighed again, trying not to notice the small smile when he used the possessive tense “tell me about your interactions with him in your premonition” 

Aloy spoke at length of their journeys, their friendship, and how they had saved each other again and again, 

Rost ran his hands over his head, “a career soldier, too fond of his ale and 7 years your senior, an outlander and mouthpiece of the Carja, Aloy you are right, you will be the death of me", he paused when he saw her palor at his words, “skies Aloy, I'm sorry, I know this all seems very real to you" 

Aloy bit her lip and nodded, “I understand Rost, I cannot tell you how odd it all seems, how fanciful it must be to you, I swear it on the embrace Rost, I was there, it was real” 

Rost nodded, “We have always known you were special Aloy, if this premonition can head off a fraction of what has been discussed, then let us set to it, no fanciful notions mind, avoid Olin and meet with the Erend fellow, if he is half of who you think, he’ll heed you, then you can use winning the proving to ask for a seeker’s mark and travel with them to Meridian” 

Aloy looked out in to the distance a moment, “the people I helped along the way, I think I should still attend to them, their problems may have been smaller to me, but they were just as real to them, maybe I can reach Elida in time to…” Aloy faded out again, “I need a way to keep it all together, to record..” as Aloy said record her focus sprang to life, “--record mode enabled—” Aloy tapped the focus and flipped through the menus, it was all there, all of her previous progress in discovering the workings of Gaia and Horizon Zero Dawn


	2. Restitution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> keeping things along and putting things right

“I still have the patch to open the door in to all-mother, I could ask to go in to the mountain for my boon, once I have accessed the cradle they’ll have to listen to me, give me the seeker’s mark” 

Rost nodded, “it’s a sound plan”.

The sun was drawing low, “Greta will still be hungry and there are tasks in the valley to which I must attend, and I still need that tripcaster'' Aloy drew herself to her full height, “see you at the northern embrace gate”. Drawing Rost in to another startling hug she propelled herself out of the cozy cabin and into the snow.

“I miss my Banuk furs” she growled as she threw herself across the brave trails to grab Greta’s beads on route, dropping behind the elderly figure she placed the beads, 2 fat rabbits and some lingonberries she had gathered along with all the dried meat from her pouch, 

“Greta this is the last time you’ll see me, thank you for the chance to allow the all-mother to work through me, I’ll try to make sure someone else hears the call, I fetched your beads from the overlook too” 

Greta started at the strange speech, “thank you All-Mother for hearing the prayers of my heart before I spoke them, please guide the hand of all those who run the proving, especially those with kind hearts”.

“Maybe when I am a seeker she will have a word for me” Aloy sighed as she propelled herself around the embrace, reuniting families and making, in those small ways, the differences that changed everyday lives, from Olara she procured a promise to keep an eye out for Greta and then hurtled herself up the hill to grab the coveted tripcaster, 

Aloy smiled at how excited she had been, wondering how she’d have reacted to a Banuk ice rail back then, Kurst leaves her with the same well wishes she recalls and the huntress regards him warmly, “be well Kurst, stay safe, I’ll see you again”.

The overlook and the doors opening don’t garner the same wonder to one who has survived the cut as they did to her younger self, but the knowledge of how the world works helped, “they were your men once weren’t they? Your comrades at least 

“I do not speak of such things Aloy, you know that, I garnered honour before disgrace, that is enough.” 

Aloy shook her head, knowing better than to push her Mentor, 6 months of battle had left Aloy with skills Rost hadn’t seen and she took a not inconsiderable amount of pleasure in showing off, finishing off the sawtooth with ease and clearing the valley of other threats too.

Rost stared in wonder, “It is true, your body speaks it, you react as one hardened by battle” 

Aloy nodded, it hadn’t been quite as easy, her body still feels slightly unreal without the scars, but the abilities were there, the tricks she had learned.

“would your men hear you if you warned them of an attack?” she asked 

“Perhaps” Rost responded, “but the stain on them would be deep, as would the loss of life” 

Aloy chewed her lip, “what if you ‘Greta’d’ them?” 

Rost looked at her in dawning realisation, “pray near them to the all mother about an incipient attack on the proving... it could work.”

As Rost went to prepare for the proving Aloy went as close as she dared to Mother’s Heart to spy it out, she saw Teb finishing the stitching for the brave outfit that she was so used to wearing, Lansra ranting, Vala and Sona preparing, Bast sat near his mother’s feet, she wondered at how she could feel such warmth for someone she had hated, and it solidified her resolve to save them all.

She saw the glowing beacon at Olin’s ear and follows the glowing code, what once was so complex seemed startlingly simple,   
Aloy saw the twisting skeins of light, even noted Sylens’ backdoor in to the system, used the stored files on her focus she sent a juddering stutter through the network,   
Not enough to crash it, just enough to cause it to sputter briefly, watching Hade’s twisted corruption searching for the source of the disruption,   
Almost casually Aloy hunted a watcher and used it’s lens and heart as a repeater, sending the disruption through the network on an 8 minute cycle, repeating the process in different spots she set up a field around the valley that looked almost natural,   
Creating blank spots and node, monitoring Olin’s traffic until she was certain that Hades and Helis considered it an annoyance of proximity to the cradle and not any kind of malfeasance.  
Aloy realised she still had an hour, so watched Mother’s Heart through the eyes of the outlander.  
They were friendlier to him than they had ever been to her, she heard him complaining to Elim, the sun priest, about the locals being as cool as the weather, and how at least in the claim the people made up for it.   
The guttural laugh that drew caused Aloy’s stomach to somersault as Olin turned to look at Erend, that smile, sun and stars she’d missed that grin, this was no careworn captain of the vanguard, this was Ersa’s little brother and it was so good to see him smile, 

In that moment she knew, if she could save Ersa and keep that smile on his face, she’d gladly give up her stalwart companion, still she took a little more effort on her hair and beads than she did the first time she crossed that bridge, even weaving some washers from her tinkering through her braids to echo the rings of Oseram steel and rubbing kiln root on her lips and cheeks.

Rost shook his head at her when they met at the bride “you have grown up so fast and so well, I’ll own you do seem both older and younger than you did the day before yesterday, I don’t doubt you’re ready, I want you to have this” he held out the familiar boar’s tooth necklace, 

Aloy smiled, “thank you Rost, I know how much this means to you, it’s odd, I have found myself reaching for it half a hundred times today,” she shook her head at the strangeness of it.

Aloy ran through the plan, “I think I have disrupted… things, enough that I should be able to speak to Olin, if not, if the network gets a message through I’ll send up 3 fire arrows, alert them as Greta would, if they come I think we will need all the prayers we can get” 

Rost nodded, “I am proud of you Aloy, I never thought I would get to see the woman you become, I am so very proud, when you achieve your seeker’s mark I will meet you at the Southern gate”. Stiffly he turned to walk away, 

Aloy understood, she was beyond tearful herself, remembering the harsh words they had shared here, if only in her memory, she stopped him “Rost, thank you, thank you for being my father”, he put his large hand on her face “thank you for being my daughter Aloy” she wrapped his middle in a fierce embrace, then turned toward the bridge.


	3. Proven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> meeting old friends, the proving and coming home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the hardest bits in this chapter have been not rushing and not skipping to the snogging, it'll come I swear.  
> I guess this is kind of a fixfic, except there's nothing wrong with the story, I just, need to write this down or I will never sleep.  
> Weirdly I have "this is how you remind me" in my head for a lot of this chapter.  
> Anyway, enjoy, hopefully I'll keep up the pace.

Aloy walked across the bridge with none of the trepidation she had the first time, as the arrogant young brave blocked her path she folded her arms and waited for Teersa’s intervention, bowing low at the matriarch who came to her rescue, who despite all her fear and superstition had always done her best to protect her.   
Aloy smiled, still awkwardly, but real, “Thank you Teersa, I have waited a long time for this day and look forward to proving I am a gift and not a curse” 

Teersa’s face opened in surprise, “how much do you know child?” 

Aloy drew the Matriarch in through the gates away from the prying eyes of the posted guard “more than I should and not enough” responded Aloy, having no intention of revealing her whole journey to the Matriarch, “I need you to understand, I intend ask to enter the mountain as the boon for winning the proving, I need to speak to my mother, can I count on your support?” 

Teersa looked shaken, but nodded, “I have made you a lantern for the ritual, you have a friend waiting…” Aloy smiled that disarming grin, “hopefully more than one, but I look forward to seeing Teb again, I haven’t seen him since he fell from the brave trails” 

Teersa grabbed Aloy’s calloused hands in her tiny aged ones “you’re more than I hoped Aloy, I am so pleased to see your warmth”.

The people of Mother’s Heart gave her a wide berth and Aloy found she infinitely preferred it to their genuflection, she rounded the corner and saw her friend the stitcher, her face splitting in to a warm grin she called and waved “Teb, Teb, it’s me, it’s Aloy” mirroring his own enthusiasm from her memory, 

It looked as if Teb visibly grew an inch that the huntress recalled him at all, “my saviour”, he grinned, “I have waited for this day, no braves path for me, I am a stitcher and a good one” 

He started pulling cloth from a box and Aloy smiled so wide her face hurt, the memory and it happening again, looping together into a bubble of joy that left her feeling as if she were on tip toe, 

Popping behind the screen she pulled on the familiar garment, marvelling at how new it felt, running her thumb over the seam where her memory told her there ought to be a wine stain from dinner with Avad, and the hip where she recalled a scorch from training with Talaneh. 

Now she gave herself the chance to show her feelings as she hadn’t before, “Teb this is by far the most beautiful thing I have ever owned” she twirled in front of him, watching his pride at the fit and her joy in it, “thank you, for this, and for waiting for us to have the chance to be friends”.

She pulled up a seat near him and listened to his stories, about surviving but not passing the proving, about stitching, about Kennah the brave who brought in most the meat, 

Teb spoke at length about him, his mother, his sisters, all the things that Aloy had never had the chance to know about her friend. Checking on the cycling of her blocking network she realised that the time for the Sun priest’s speech was upon them.

Bidding goodbye to her friend Aloy moved past the man on the roof, past the entertainments to the stage where the speech was just beginning, 

Erend drew himself in front of the hail of vegetables and Aloy had to swallow her heart, he was magnificent, even half drunk he could bring others in line with his ideas, he could lead anyone, 

Aloy was torn, so much of how she saw the world was coloured by the way he’d described it that day, this day, would he see her differently if he had never shown the “Nora warmaiden” a glimpse of the world.

Resolute she made her choice, she sent the pulse and tapped Olin on the shoulder, he spun in confusion prodding at his focus and cussing at the malfunctioning object, 

Aloy, stone-faced, looked him in the eyes, “Olin, I know how to save your family but I need you to trust me,” 

Olin kept tapping at his focus staring at her in horror, taking in the focus and her Nora garb, “what; How?” his horror started to become panic,   
Aloy stayed calm, “they can’t see you Olin, I’ve jammed the network, they think it’s the ruins, you’re safe, we can get Enasha and your Son, I know where they are but you need to play along, look back at the stage for a second, 

Olin turned back to his colleagues on the platform, Aloy sent the signal to unjam the network, they stood like that for a minute before Olin tapped the focus, “Understood, is it the location?” clearly talking to the earpiece, “Yes sir, I understand, I, I won’t do anything stupid” with that the light in his ear died and he removed his earpiece, once it was safely tucked in a pouch at his belt he turned back to her, a face a cocktail of terror, confusion and hope, 

Aloy sent the jamming signal again just in case and smiled, “I’m Aloy, I’m trying to fix some things” just then, history caught in a loop, 

Erend jumped from the stage to interrupt the conversation “Olin, you making friends with the locals are we?” 

Aloy’s heart was in her mouth, she tried to remember the way the conversation went along but Olin was staring from one to the other in utter confusion, 

Erend played the dashing soldier, and Aloy did her best impression of a starstruck backwater wench, half finishing his sentences.

Olin snarled “Hammer to anvil one of you had better explain what the hells is going on here and why this girl went from delver warrior to... to... whatever this is when you turned up Erend”   
Shaking with barely contained emotion he continued, “this had better not be a prank because if it is Vanguardsman I will end you”   
Erend looked at his friend as if he had grown a second head, looked him up and down, stoney faced he asked, “does Enasha know you’re givin your jewellery to pretty savages? No offence meant miss” it was such an Erend response, Aloy couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Holding up her hands she began, “one, this focus is mine not Olin’s and it is very different, two my story is long and odd and I wish I had more than 2 minutes to tell it in, Erend you gave your sister Ersa a scar below her right knee in a scuffle over a toy sword, you like fragrant rice, and roast goose and fireworks and good oseram ale and you snore like a skewered boar and I am an odd savage who knows things she shouldn’t and fire and spit she wants to help you change your destiny” 

Erend looked at her as if she had suddenly turned purple, turning his head to Olin he snarled, “and you thought it was a prank, did Ersa put you up to this?” 

Olin shook his head, “Erend, I haven’t been half the friend you deserve but I have the chance to put that right now, she can help me get Enasha and Coln back from the men that took them, the men that were watching me through that machine blighted trinket, by the forge Erend I am going to take that chance even if I don’t understand why she is offering or why she can.” 

Aloy put her hand on Erend’s arm, “tomorrow will be weird, in a dream of an otherworld you said you’d like to show me Meridian make some introductions, would this world’s you like to make good?” 

Erend put his hand over hers and looked her in the eye, “he offer you anything else I should know about?” 

Aloy grinned staring back, “3 drinks and 2 minutes” she could hear Olin’s spluttering laugh fading in the background as the rest of the village blinked out briefly as they held gaze until the drumming signalling the opening of the lantern ceremony began, 

Aloy took her place, not meekly as she had before, but proud, thanking Teersa for the lantern she called out the ritual clear as a bell, naming her mother the mountain, setting the scene for her post proving theatrics, 

The other braves in training shied away from her a little more this time, from the corner of her eye she saw Olin, head in hands and Erend comforting him, but watching her the way he did a circling glinthawk, “as long as I don’t have to earn your trust the way I did last time” she sighed as she made her way to the lodge.

She was gentler with Bast than she had been before but still cutting, “Confidence is quiet, you are not quiet” 

She took her time with Vala, as she had with Teb, revelling in her stories and the threads of her life, 

Aloy even chose kindness with Resh, “my time as an outcast was all part of the all-mother’s plan Resh, you will see”, he snarled still of course, but Aloy hoped she had built a foundation.

The day of the proving dawned clear and bright and Aloy was beyond ready, her battle skills in her unmarred body making her an even more formidable spectacle, still she walked and even still allowed Bast his moment of bravado at the cliff, enjoying the shared smirk with Vala, 

Aloy scanned at the top and scanned again, no sign of Helios and his murderers, the pack of grazers charge across and Aloy chose once more to change history, leaping overhead and taking 2 blazers out with her spear she grabbed one core, and held it aloft, Bast shattered it with a smirk and she leapt toward the old brave trail with the second core still in her grasp, 

Ignoring the cries that taking the old route was unnecessary and lethal she hurtled across it helter skelter, to ask what she was going to ask she needed no doubt that she had not only won, but had the all mother’s blessing in doing so, 

More pragmatically, she also wanted to scan the ridge for enemies, blazing across the close of the field she placed her core on the altar, kneeled and was bade rise in enough time to turn to see the other competitors skidding across the ice bewildered, scanning with her focus, the only she saw figure hidden on the ridge was Rost, fist across his heart in silent triumph.  
“She cheated” screamed Bast in indignation, 

The proctor calmly advised there is no rule about which route must be taken and that the other is not advised because of the danger, “no outcast won the proving, a Nora Brave did”, 

Aloy’s heart pounded in her chest as she waited for arrows, but there was only whispers that gathered to a roar, Aloy of the Nora had proven herself.

Teersa, Lansra and Jezza all stood waiting at all-mother mountain as the braves returned, only Lansra didn’t seem pleased to see Aloy leading the way,

Aloy stole an arrow from Avad’s quiver, cloaking herself in ceremony she knelt, reciting the names of the antecedents of each High Matriarch in turn, grateful that those names are not being spoken here now for the reason they were in her memory, 

Teersa bade her stand and with a smile asked her what boon she required, “Aloy, head bowed in supplication asked only the question she would have asked before, “please high matriarch, I only wish to speak to my mother” 

Teersa nodded, a reasonable request, Lansra shook with rage, but every word was perfect and it was all so reasonable, to refuse such a simple request was impossible, 

Aloy landed the final shot on her mental ropecaster, softly she asked “could Warmaster Sona join us? High Matriarch Lansra obviously fears me, and with such brilliant children I am sure she would have access of her own accord soon enough, please, I do not wish High Matriarch Lansra to be afraid of me” she almost felt the prickle in her neck of a Carja head dress from wearing Talanah and Avad’s clothes so much today.

Teersa’s face spoke victory as she lead Aloy in to the mountain, Aloy walked with purpose, she knew the way and she was not afraid, the missing data safe in her focus she walked to the doors, the light scanned her and the synthetic voice boomed, “Error, Alpha registry corrupted,” Aloy span her hand and the voice shifted, “correction, Alpha registry restored, welcome Dr Sobeck, Access granted.” The doors slid open and the three Matriarchs and the warchief shook as Aloy stepped inside the all-mother’s womb.


	4. Anointed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Aloy steps in to her destiny

The familiar cold and metal smell of a ruin was oddly comforting, counting on her fingers “Rost, Vala, Bast…” Aloy continued to recite the names of the other braves who lived today, 

Her next move had to be careful, she made her way through, activating and repairing as she went, making sure to grab the power core and using some of her acquired knowledge to upgrade her gear, carefully disguising the technology as best she could.

Her greater knowledge meant that Gaia’s dying message didn’t break her they way it had before, the lack of Sylens’ bitter words helped keep her focused, time and distance allowing her to see his jealousy for what it was  
.  
She spotted a file [ RESTORATION SIMULATIONS ] the data wasn’t readable, but the holographic image clearly showed Aloy, Varl and Erend atop the spire, weapons raised in victory with the flickering writing -simulation 76% successful, no time for further simulations, data error-.

Aloy took a steadying breath, would there ever be a time that this place wouldn’t cause an existential crisis?

A pocketful of foci, innumerable useful objects and a remote holo emitter pad were among the items she scrounged as she made her way through the cradle tomb, now to arrange for her re-emergence, placing the holo pad by the accessway, setting the clip, and her resolve, 

“In you, all things are possible” boomed the 12 ft tall Gaia hologram, “go to the ruins of Gaia prime”. The door closed behind Aloy and Sona and the Matriarchs could only stare in awe.

Lansra was the first to react, “forgive me please” she knelt on the stone in front of the door, her head low, 

Aloy held her hand out, “you made a choice from fear, fear is a powerful motivator, from my heart, I forgive you High Matriarch” as she said the words Aloy realised she meant them, Lansra seemed so small and frail and frightened, not some object of hate.

Teersa’s face was jubilant, “Aloy, anointed of the Nora, Daughter of the Mountain, how may we aid your quest?” 

Aloy laid out her plan, she would travel out of the embrace, if the Matriarchs would make her a seeker, find the way to purge the corruption, and when it came time to battle the metal devil, she would ask for a warparty, protected by seeker’s marks to join her, with Warchief Sona’s permission and under her direction, 

Sona smiled, “Child, I wish you had been placed with me, you have a warrior’s spirit and a mother’s heart”, 

Aloy flushed at that, “it would have been an honour Warmaster Sona, Vala is the closest thing to a friend I have, but I was raised by a good man, and he did right by me.” 

Sona nodded, “if things had been different it would have been well to see you raised as Alana’s little sister” Aloy for a moment wished her ‘simulations’ had been further back in time, but reconciled herself to being the arrow that Gaia had fired.

The High Matriarch’s wove her a seeker’s mark, each adding a piece of their ritual garb, Sona took a piece of braiding from her own costume, “to keep her safe from the corruption of the outer world”.

It was Jezza who surprised her, “if you are here to purge the corruption, I entreat you, take your foster father with you on this quest, your seeker’s mark will protect you and in healing the world, perhaps you can heal the stain on his soul, we would like to be able to welcome him back from death”. 

Teersa smiled, “this is the first time I have seen you surprised Aloy, surely you realised we would welcome Rost home if we could, but our laws bind us tightly” 

Aloy read the unspoken message of entreaty in Teersa’s eyes, -free us- Aloy didn’t realise how many strings there were to this quest, but she nodded, voice soft “I will High Matriarch, thank you.”

She made to leave but had to wait for the Matriarch’s grand announcement, to Aloy’s surprise Lansra took the lead, standing in front of the gathered throng, including the outlanders, Lansa proclaimed “Aloy, outcast no more, daughter of the mountain, first among braves and anointed Seeker of the Nora people will be leaving us on a sacred quest far from these lands, raise your voices to the all-mother in thanks” the crowd hooted and hollered, slamming staves to the ground and cheering, 

Erend, silver tongue at the ready, raised his hammer and in his booming voice called, “High Matriarchs, may we have the honour of escorting your seeker as far as Meridian? I know that the 14th Sun King himself will want, in the spirit of our penance, to aid the quest of the Seeker of the Nora” 

The sun priest next to him nodded whilst looking at Erend like he wasn’t certain he had ever seen him before. 

Jezza spoke “Aye, that is good, the seeker already gathers her companions as the prophecy speaks, it speaks through her.”

Aloy leapt from the stage and joined the party of outlanders already packed for the road, Erend leaned close enough that only she could hear “Weird day eh?”

With gifts, blessings and prayers the odd group made for the southern embrace gate, mostly trying not to stand on any creeping hands, 

Olin looked at Aloy, “you did this on purpose?” 

Aloy shrugged, kind of, I was hoping it would be less creepy this time,” there was a certain amount of suppressed chortling at that.

When they had finally left the edge of town away from the last of the Braves tracking them Erend called the party to a halt, putting his hand on Aloy’s shoulder and stared into her eyes, the cinnamon smell of his breath and the steadiness of his hand said he was sober, but something about the way he looked at her made her feel as she wasn’t 

Aloy swallowed, “Um, we need to wait”. 

He stepped in slightly closer to her, “Wait for what little one?” 

There was a weight of air between them that felt like the heat of a sauna, the space between them shrinking, their companions looked away at the intensity of the gaze between the two warriors, 

A thunk of boots on the ground behind Aloy caused a start, “me I’d guess” said Rost, tossing a pack of gear to Aloy, whose face matched her hair as her adopted father sized up the man she so desperately wanted him to approve of.

Leaning back in his boots Erend asked warily, “and you’d be?” 

Rost sized up the slightly taller man, as if he could imagine 3 different ways to dissect him, “Rost” he replied gruffly,   
“My father” Aloy interjected,   
“adopted” Rost added,   
“was wondering how you’d bedded a mountain sir” interjected Erend, hoping humour would act as social lubricant, 

Rost let out a choking laugh and the tension bubble popped, 

“it’s not too early to make camp considering the day our young agitator has had, perhaps we may have some clarification before the blessings of the sun leave us once more” Irid suggested, hoping that someone would eventually see fit to explain.

Aloy slid in to rhythm with Erend setting camp as they had so many times before, to his utter confusion and Rost’s consternation, bringing down 2 fat geese to spit over the fire, handing them silently to him to pluck, setting the water just where he liked it until he pulled his hand across his carefully shaped mohawk, his eyes devouring her , the curve and line of her, the way she moved, she definitely sparked his fancy but the easy familiarity was jarring, in her memory what was he to her? And did he want to find out?

The fire set and a wire perimeter laid out that the priest was under strict instructions to pee inside, Erend asked the origin of the warning, Aloy laughed and said “Kiln” Erend laughed too until he recalled there was no way for the Nora lass to know the blond Vanguard, although the thought was so apt Erend again felt disoriented.   
He took a deep breath “Alright, I know you’re worried about it, but I think you need to tell us how this has come to pass,” his tone was gentle but Rost still bristled a little.

Aloy, as best she could, filled them in on the Horizon Dawn project, the pulse and Gaia’s desperate fix, her, explaining as best she could, that Gaia had been running ‘training exercises”, which had failed, accidently leaving her with the last run through’s memories, she acknowledged that it would be better to be able to tell everyone the truth, but quicker to pass it off as second sight or Nora magic for the vast majority, 

Oddly it was Irid who was first to respond, “although most of what you have said is contrary to the doctrine of my faith, I have much to atone for, you have my full support huntress”. 

Olin nodded, “if you have a way to get me out of this mess, get my family back, I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth” 

Rost wasn’t looking at Aloy, certain she knew he’d be there, with or without the blessing of the Matriarchs; Rost was watching Erend.

Erend rolled his shoulders, as if he could somehow shrug off the older man’s scrutiny, “look, Aloy, you seem capable and I do believe you, it’s just that..” 

Aloy interrupted him, “Dervhal is alive” 

He quirked his head, “you could have lead with that,” 

Aloy gave him a smirk, “thought the end of the world was more important” 

He grinned back, “depends how you define -world- I suppose” 

She laughed “the world -includes- your beer mug Erend”   
they laughed with easy familiarity until he shook his head, “I’d like it if we could earn that, you’re using my tricks against me and I don’t know how I feel about that,” 

Aloy looked somehow smaller in the firelight, “we need to get back to Meridian fast, before Ersa gets Devhal’s request to parlay, your world depends on it”.


	5. Conversations between men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> progress, and a conversation or 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a bit longer, I speak in paragraphs, so my characters tend to, I can Just about get away with that for Erend, but Rost needed to be more taciturn.

The casual attitude was thoroughly broken; Aloy stared into the fire, hardly daring to look at Erend as she related Dervhal’s treachery, her voice catching over the words as she spoke of Ersa’s perceived death, finding the truth and finding her, then her actual death, remembering Ersa’s final moments Aloy felt suddenly warm and her voice choked into a sob.

Erend moved around the fire with surprising speed for a man of his heft, wrapping his arms around Aloy, “sshh shh, it’s not come to pass, we’ll fix it, Hammer and steel we’ll fix it” 

He didn’t even see Rost’s drawn bow, so focused as he was on Aloy’s pain, still not understanding the pain she was relating was his and not her own.

Aloy melted into Erend’s arms hearing the talk around the fire as if it were underwater, surrounded by the smell of leather, smoked meat, ale and Erend, the oil he used to shave the sides of his head had pine needles in it, it smelled clean, she heard Olin tell Rost to put it away, Irid calling for calm and eventually Erend’s voice loud in her ear “Huh? Slag and Embers!” as he dropped her as suddenly as he held her.

Looking up to see her father tracking Erend with his bow as he moved to sit back at his point of the fire with his hands in the air, “woah papa bear, ain’t being funny, she was mourning the death of my very alive sister and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

Rost prickled, jaw locked and bow drawn as Aloy came back to herself, “Rost, what do you think you are doing?” Aloy’s voice was confused and tired.

Rost’s voice was quiet, “what I have always done, protecting you, I trust you can see things I can’t, trust me now Aloy when I say, I can see things you can’t, you told me the tale, what I can see from it that you can’t yet, is that you dragged him out of a bottle and forged him in to a hero, and I can see, he isn’t that man yet little one.  
”  
Erend looked sick at the speech, although his eyes never left Aloy, “Sir, I’d like to speak to Aloy alone, and not for any of the reasons you’re pondering, she mourns Ersa, who is alive by and by, like kin, and you obviously are having a few thoughts, I need to ask some questions and I need you to put the bow down sir, we’re soldiers, you an me both, we both know that how a soul acts in training means less than bootspit on the battlefield, so the pictures Red has seen, well they don’t necessarily show you the colour of my… spirit”   
Erend pulled himself up at the end of his hastily cleaned up phrasing, finally turning to Rost he said with a dark grin, “you ain’t gonna shoot me, she’d never forgive you, if you’ll excuse us I’d like to find out why so we can all get to Meridian and speak to my -not dead by the way- sister”.

Erend thrust his hand out to Aloy who grabbed her spear as she stood, “he would shoot you” Rost nodded as he put his bow back down and returned the arrow to the quiver,

Olin laughed aloud as Erend shook his head, “lovely family”.

Rost still frowned, “you have as long as it takes this sweetroll to bake, otherwise I’m eating yours, and then I’ll shoot you”.

Aloy laughed and Erend pointed back and forth between the two of them, “her or me?”.

They moved away from the fire, Erend cupped Aloy’s face with his large, calloused hand, “What were you to me little one?”

Aloy spoke softly, , “a friend, a comrade, saved Meridian with me twice, the world too, you called me pretty once…”

“So those simulations” he asked “they don’t tell you how I feel, you don’t know my reasons.”

Aloy shrugged, “you’ve never seemed that hard to read Erend, you once told me that Oseram are good at three things, forging, drinking and fighting, you told me I’d forget you once I changed the world”.

His eyes looked like the rigid ice over the water of the cut, where the was cold enough to burn, “and what was I to you little spark?”  
Their faces were inches away from each other as she breathed “everything”.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt the heat of his breath, he took a lungful and she felt the air chill as he moved away, “fire and steel Don’t make a liar of me Aloy, I promised your Da’.” He took a second deep breath, rubbing both hands through his mohawk, “I’ll help you change all our destinies, we’ll figure the rest out as we go”.

Aloy walked back to the fire, taking the sweet bannock that Rost was holding out for her, “y’alright?” he asked in a low tone,

Sitting down next to her adopted father on the log Aloy put her head on his shoulder, “you’re not my most favourite person right now Rost, but I am really glad you’re here.”

They set watch shifts and readied for sleep, minds whirling from the day’s insanity, Aloy requesting last watch after her ridiculous day.

Aloy, as she was used to from camping in the wilds alone, climbed a tree and sprawled across an uppermost branch, each of the men looked up in puzzlement, Rost because they would normally sleep back to back and the other three because they, used to travelling in groups, were unused to the tactic, Rost faced Erend briefly, “I didn’t teach her that” 

Erend shrugged, “me either Sir”.

Rost asked, “Why do you call me that? You know my name”  
Erend replied, “honestly, I’m terrified of you” this brought a laugh from Orin and smirk from Rost, Irid having taken himself to his bedroll already,  
Erend continued, “this -perfect- woman comes out of no-where, she says she can see the future and asks me to take her to the big city”  
Rost nodded, his eyebrows raised, and waved that Erend continue,   
“so we can save the world right? then she gets designated the chosen one, talks to me like we’ve served together already and then her big bad dad pulls a weapon on me, twice, I’m going to be as respectful as possible because I haven’t a spark of a clue what’s going on”.

Rost nodded, “I can respect that” and made toward the trip wire perimeter,

Erend asked, “I’ll walk the perimeter with you?”

Rost smirked again, “what do you want to ask me?”

“is it not a least bit concerning to think that by all rights you should be dead by now” asked Erend in consternation

Rost beckoned him to follow, “not really”,

“your daughter is the anointed, and a seer, not odd,” Erend was building up a head of steam at this point.  
“no: do you have a problem with drink?” Rost asked, without changing his intonation

Erend pulled himself still, “I’m Oseram, we drink, it’s part of our culture, I was a freebooter, it’s part of that culture too, and I’m vanguard, it’s definitely part of that culture, I’ve never let it stop me doing my duty, I know what Aloy saw, and, if I did lose Esra, I can’t be sure I wouldn’t want to climb in a bottle and seal the cork after me, alongside the kind of vengeance they write stories about, but right now, the only problem I have with drink is that this conversation should never have happened sober.”

Rost nodded and smiled, “you’re aware she is 4 scant weeks past her 18th year”

Erend sighed, “this is the weirdest day”

“get some rest lad, you’re on midwatch, we’ll talk again I am sure” Rost clapped a large hand on his bow as he carried on around the perimeter.

Erend shook his head again and bedded down for the night.

Rost went to wake Erend awake around midnight, to find the other man already packing his gear. Erend nodded, “Sir, clear watch?”

Rost having slid back into the role as leader of men without a thought reported across, “blue lights a way off to the east but otherwise clear” he gathered his brow, “what do I smell?”

Erend smiled, “goose grease, oat and bilberry, trail snap, better than wasting it”

Rost nodded in approval, “the all mother gives us all we need and no more”

Erend nodded, we have a similar phrase on the claim, “scrap what you can or go without, I prefer yours”

Rost tucked himself in to the sheltered place by the hot stones left from the fire while Erend took the walk and watch, setting up at an overlook with his hammer over his shoulder Erend had a clear view over the camp and beyond, and coincidentally a shadowed outline of Aloy’s lithe form wrapped around a tree branch.


	6. The colour red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catching up with where she should be Aloy tries to re-create her journey with as little bloodshed as she can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I am not brill at this, if anyone wants to sign up as a beta/person with stick to remind me that punctuation exists and not everyone talks in paragraphs I can pay in gratitude.  
> Chapters will be shorter and or slower until I can stop falling over my own fingertips.

Erend spent most of his watch trying to unpuzzle what was happening, and wishing he were already on the road to Meridian, needing to let Ersa know about the trap, the picture that had been painted swirled around his head, bringing bile to his gullet.

Aloy unwound herself in plenty of time for her watch, negating the other question on Erend’s mind, ‘how does one wake someone up a tree without throwing a rock at them’.

Respecting Erend’s request to take their time Aloy didn’t invade his space, standing back, stretching out and wrinkling her nose “g’morning, any handover?”

“Some Machines to the east but they haven’t moved all watch and we’ll be heading west, otherwise nothing to report.” Aloy noted that Erend tried very hard not to watch as she worked out the stiffness in her limbs, an unnecessary backbend later and she was all business, “rest well Erend”

he shook his head, “I need to get back on the road as soon as the others are awake,”

Aloy nodded, “I completely understand, I have some tasks I must complete on route, but they won’t cut in to our travel time, I can always catch you up,”

Erend shook his head, “we’ll be faster if we work together”

Aloy laughed, “I have spent a long time telling you I am faster alone, but I think, this time, you might be right.”

Erend packed up the last of the camp and erased the traces of their passing while Aloy kept watch, the silence wasn’t exactly companionable, but it wasn’t awkward either, more as if there were a weight of words that neither was ready to let go of yet.

“Aloy, what’s your favourite colour?” Erend asked as they watched and waited for the others to awaken,

“I like Blue, why” she looked at him a with quirked brows “what’s yours”

Erend gave her a slow grin, “just wanted to know something about you that wasn’t cataclysmic is all”,

Aloy nodded, “that’s fair; I really like Oseram smoked Salmon if that helps”

Erend asked incredulously, “when did you try Oseram smoked Salmon?”

Aloy laughed, “Petra sent me back with some from free heap to bring to you”

Erend looked confused, “I shared my salmon with you?”

Aloy wrinkled her nose, “I was complaining it made my pouch stink, you were proving it was worth the effort, there were pancakes and some kind of cheese, and cold sappersap”

Erend smiled, “Did I show you sunrise from the king’s own personal balconies?”

Aloy’s grin was warm and broad, “you mentioned it but we haven’t managed it yet,”

Olin laughed as he rolled out of his bedroll, “Aloy, you might be the saviour of the world, but if a man feeds you expensive treats and hard liquor and tries to rope you in to an activity that involves you being together at first light, tell Rost, or me, or Irid, we’ll have a conversation with them.”

Rost unfolded himself, “agreed”.

Erend looked at them all, “how long have you been awake?” He paused “She could tell me too you know”

Irid pulled his pack open to grab a waterskin, “a while, you’re loud, and no she couldn’t”

Erend’s was a bundle of irritation, “why, I could have a talk with a young man who was making advances, I’m vanguard, an authority”

Olin Elbowed his large friend, “probably best not to, 2 reasons, both of which boil down to your favourite colour being red”.

Erend and Aloy’s faces were both Erend’s favourite colour for a bit as they packed up and carried on their journey.

The next worry on Aloy’s list was how to get an override device when she had yet to see a corruptor, but the pocket of corrupted machines behind the hunting ground was the obvious solution

Aloy bobbed away to meet with a bruised outcast before racing across to the hunting grounds, Aloy knew she had to be faster than she had ever been of she was going to get the parts she needed, thankfully her oddly assorted party were happy to let her dive away, thinking she was mostly facing simple challenges.  
The keeper of the ground was just as chatty as before, but Aloy was in no mood to gossip, in short time she had a pocket full of blazing suns and a very small fan club.

Creeping through the grazer herd and toward the corrupted area she could taste the metalburn in the air, the embrace’s odd weather patterns cycled through torrential rain into cloudless sky in minutes so she waited for a clear shot.

Aloy fired a flaming arrow through the blaze cannister of one of the red flickering beasts, leaping through the air, she fired two more, dropping the creature to the ground, she was expecting the 3 other corrupted watchers, the corrupter erupting from beneath the structure was a surprise.

Aloy’s fire arrows were running low and her muscles burning by the time she managed to draw the creature back into her hastily set trap, it got one last wicked blow on her thigh before crumpling in toa heap of debris.

Biting back the pain she dug into the metal carcass, pulling first the reservoir of chillwater to douse the metalburn eating at her thigh, she layered hintergold leaf over the wound and bound it with cord. Then took a moment, she had no choice, she swallowed one of the flowerheads for the pain and finished dismantling her fallen foes.

Pulling the converter and wiring in to the staff, she really wished she’d paid more attention to what Gerta did to her weapons, finding herself unable to imitate the tinkerers artistry.

Aloy dragged herself across the meadows to the nearby Strider herd and lay in wait, trying not to think about the pain in her leg or the fog in her head, 

At least once she was on a strider she wouldn’t hold the others up, the hintergold flower head making her thoughts swim, thankfully her training was more powerful than the narcotic petal properties and she overrode the strider with ease, galloping back across the bridge and catching the party up well within the time she had allotted.

Waving at the wall of weaponry aimed at her as they recognised what they saw Aloy shouted down, “told you I could catch up”.


	7. a decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone want to Beta this for me?

“Forgefire” exclaimed Erend as he brought his hammer back to his side,

“That is quite something to see” agreed Rost, shaking fletching burns on his fingertips from bending the arrow out of the string at the last second before he loosed at his own adopted daughter.

Aloy smiled a tight smile, “didn’t mean to startle you, I’ll teach anyone who wants to know how to do it” between the pain and the hintergold to counteract the pain Aloy was unsteady in the saddle, her words were thick and the air seemed too tight,

Rost looked sharply at her, “Aloy?” he questioned, “are you injured?”

She blinked hard, “corruption infused metalburn, I’ve treated it, but I had to use Hintergold, I’ll be fine”

Olin stared at her in awe, “you’re upright, treated your own wound and made it back here with corruption damage, Fire and Spit girl you are forgeborn,” to Rost he said, “get her down man, let me see”  
Between Rost and Olin they got Aloy down from her mount and Olin redressed her wound, “you need wild ember for this, hintergold won’t do it, you did well with the chillwater for the burn, you dressed it like you were due back at the anvil, but we need to let the air in to let the ember do it’s work”

Erend made himself busy setting camp, bringing back a well tenderised boar and taking his frustrations out preparing it for travel.  
As Erend prepared the boar Rost put Aloy in the brightly painted hide tent that they had erected for her, a gift from Mother’s Heart as they left, Rost sat with her, humming the tune he had sung to Alana, and then to Aloy when they were very small, 

Olin put his hand on his shoulder.

“Olin”, Rost called to the delver as he stood to leave, “I will help you find your family” Olin nodded and left Rost to tend to Aloy.

Irid came to Erend as he cleaned his knives, “would you like me to lead a prayer for you Erend, I can see you are fraught with worry”,

“Of course I am worried Irid, that slip of a girl pops off to do a hunting trial and comes back with battle damage riding a -strider- and in a full cycle we have barely made it to the Embrace gates, everything she says lends that she is telling the truth, and that means Ersa is at risk, I, I believe her Irid, I need to get to Meridian!”

Erend let out a deep breath, seeing Olin’s hard stare as he walked toward the fire, “do you all have to be so flamespit understanding all the time, can nobody just say ‘Erend you’re being an ass!’ and have done”.

Olin gave a tired smile, “Erend, my friend, you’re being an ass, we’ve made an early enough camp we’ll roast some more of that beast, we’ll have a cup, we’ll tell stories we wouldn’t tell if your huntress and her dad were around the fire, and then in the morning, well rested, we’ll make a new plan”.

Irid took the time to do a full prayer at the setting sun, despite being the only Carja there the camp felt comforted, they made maize porridge with frost rime flowers and smalled the beer with springwater so no-one got too mellow but all could have a proper tankard.

Erend took himself to the bright tent, “Rost sir” he called softly, “will you both be joining us or would you like to take your meal now and I’ll watch o’er her?”

Rost pulled himself out of the, “she’s resting, you can check on her briefly, then I think you and I can both go to the fire, she’d not thank either of us for playing nurse, come to the fire and I’ll tell you about the first time she skimmed a knee playing grazer leapfrog”.

Erend knelt at the tiny tent, even the larger of the Nora were a half head shorter than Erend and at least a third as narrow, it looked like if he coughed it would fall to matchsticks.

He breathed “Oh my sparks look at you”   
she slept fitfully, the scorched wound on her thigh glistening with salve and making his heart hurt, “what will I do with you my huntress,”   
he shook his head “what did I do so wrong before that I saw you but never took you for mine own. In your world Little Ember do you dance in the ink of my story, why have I never shown you the sunrise?”   
Erend rubbed the arm covered in tattoos wondering where he would put her in the story of him, once he knew Ersa was safe, that’s when he could worry about that.

Leaving the tent before he did something precipitous Erend walked toward the fire keeping his head down as he passed the waiting Rost who was looking at him with a sharp focus.

As they ate they marvelled at the machine that Aloy had tamed,

Rost spoke carefully and with consideration, “if Aloy can do this again, or teach us to, this gives us an opportunity to move faster,”

Erend nodded, “not keen on the idea of a machine between my legs but if it would get me to my sister faster I’d lay with it”.

Olin agreed quickly, “to reach my family faster I’d have you lay with a machine too.”

The conversation was sparse and the weight of worry and unspoken words dampened the spirits as much as the odd weather of the embrace.

Aloy finally awoke, sore and hungry, emptying her waterskin down her achingly dry throat she shook the last of the hintergold fog, Olin’s application of the proper herbs had allowed her body’s own accelerated healing to kick in, and her thigh now only held the slightest trace of a scar.

Aloy unfolded herself from the tent as the stars reached their highest point, at the start of midwatch, the men, barring Erend, still sat around the guttering fire, having feasted long on too much boar, Aloy’s emergence was met with attention and a medium level of fuss.

Rost called her to the skin he had draped over a rock, “sit, don’t push it too fast”

Aloy gratefully sat on the still warm skin, “food?” she asked hopefully,

Olin handed her fat ridgewood skewers of pork, smokey and delicious from the edge of the fire, before asking about the strider, “so how many and for how long? It’s still stood there, I felt like I ought to feed it or something”.

Aloy’s face was troubled, “a single strider I have managed to keep for weeks, but the more of them I have, the less time I can hold them for, I am trying to resolve how to be in 2 places at once”  
she looked at the floor, “I need to go to Meridian, via Daytower to set off the sequences of events, otherwise I’ll not have Avad’s support when I need it, when Gaia needs it”  
her hands buried in her braids in frustration, “but we have so little time to free Olin’s family before they realise that you aren’t still next to all-mother mountain, not to mention a thousand bits of right things I have to do on route”.

Rost looked at his daughter with a certain amount of resignation, “we’ll need to separate then”.


	8. archive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> on the road again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who (like me) were hoping a better writer would tackle this, I stumbled across https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680891/chapters/67740608 and it is an amazing take on the same concept

Aloy looked desperately sad “there isn’t a right way to go about this, I need to be in both places, there are tasks that need to be completed on route, people that need help I..”

Rost stopped her, “Aloy, you don’t have to do this all yourself, I will go with Olin, save his family, tell me what else I need to do and I will make sure that those resources you need will be available to you.”

Olin nodded, “once my family are safe I’ll help, you don’t have to carry the weight of all of this Aloy”

Irid agreed, “you spoke of many small tasks, there is a priest in the city, Namman, he has said the same thing, if I lend my voice we should be able to change some more opinions, the priesthood of the sun is not the monolith it once was,” 

Irid took off his hood and for the first time the gathered saw his face, a plain young man with a thin moustache, “When the mad king committed his atrocities it was in the name of easing the derangement, I have evidence that Aloy can -really- do that, my predecessors bathed in blood, I will gladly do good deeds,” he shook his head in wonderment, “you’re a blessing from the sun child”.

Erend stepped out of the shadows, leaning on his war-hammer, “if you can help us take down Dehrval then you’ll be able to count on Vanguard support too, that should help cover some ground, how fast can we get to Daytower on those?”  
Aloy checked the variables on her focus, looking to the assembled as if she was just staring into the fire, “If we leave just past daybreak, after Irid’s prayers, then we will be through the gate and at Daytower by midday, assuming you can stay on.”

Erend tapped his hammer on the ground in assent, “alright, I’ll do a few more turns and then break camp”.

She reached into the bag, “these will help us stay in touch, I’m not asking anyone to keep them in, but they have a lot you can do, and they’ll let us communicate” Aloy spread the handful of gleaming foci on the ground ahead of her.

Olin visibly flinched, “no”. he said shortly,

Aloy held up her hand, “breath Olin, Rost can carry one and use it if need arises, you’re not swapping one set of chains for another”

Olin looked pale, Rost didn’t look much happier but took the glowing jewel and put it his ear, waving his hands and exploring the interface he breathed out “all-mother, it’s exactly as you said, oh, oh that’s disconcerting” Rost sat forward, head in hands, breathing heavily, “is there anything else I need to not look at?” Rost gasped.

Aloy rested her head on his shoulder, “nothing else as traumatic as your death I don’t think, I should have realised that’s where you’d start”.

Rost put his arm around her, “that number?”

Aloy responded quietly, “is how many times I watched it, yes” Rost stroked her hair, “I’m ok Aloy, I’m here, you’re not alone.”

They watched the fire glitter for a bit until Erend returned to the centre of the camp, “so how do the trinkets work, is it fetching,” he asked, winking at Aloy as he popped the focus in his ear, “woah” he gasped tracing his hands through the air.

Erend stood transfixed for a quarter hour, Aloy watched him seeing through her eyes, following the lines of his muscular arms as they wove invisible patterns in the air, resisting the urge to tap in and find out what he was looking at, Aloy began breaking camp ready for early morning strider hunting.

The tall grass was damp with morning dew, the embrace’s ridiculous weather patterns once again playing havock with Aloy’s armour, Erend crawled next to her, smelling like a half washed pot, “quiet Erend, you’re rattling, you’ll spook them.” He looked at her with gathered brows, making as if to argue.

Aloy tapped her focus, “see, as you watch them you see the tracks appear, and you can lock them in like this” she tapped the focus again,

Erend mirroring her movements growled at near subvocal levels to the focus “and speak this way aye?”

Aloy nodded, gulping at the feeling of his voice in her ear, murmuring back, “follow my lead, and keep an eye out for watchers”.

A quick and clean strike later and they had 5 fresh striders tamed and Erend had flattened a watcher with his hammer.

Aloy demonstrated how to mount and with a couple of false starts they were away, leading their herd back to camp.

Lashing the packs to the striders with wire and ingenuity Aloy talked everyone through the process, Erend using every ounce of charisma to get Irid up on the mount.

“this feel unnatural” Rost complained to Aloy, “you’re sure this is not feeding the metal devil?”

Aloy put a reassuring hand on his arm, “this is the start of putting right the derangement, of setting the world the way Elisabet wanted it to be”.

Having laid out the plans and with a last tight hug the two groups separated, Rost and Olin to rescue his family, Aloy, Erend and Irid to right wrongs at Daytower and then stop Ersa from making the last mistake of her life.

One of the upsides of the foci was the ability to communicate despite riding striders at full pelt, it also became an obvious downside.

Erend urged his strider slightly faster… Aloy edged her strider slightly faster… Erend urged his strider slightly faster… and the race was on.

“I am going to win Erend, I am lighter than you and better at this,” came clear across their small network.

“I am going to school you young lady to be polite to your elders, I am stronger and tougher than you, you’ll see,”

“I’m faster,” Aloy countered,

“I can go longer,” Erend replied with a dirty chortle that did all sorts of things to Aloy’s seat on the strider.

“um, excuse me” Irid’s small voice interjected, “you’re quite a way ahead at this point, I can’t see you, I don’t actually know the way, I’m doing my best but I am not a warrior”.

“grow up the pair of you, I’m not too far away to come back and give you a talking to” Rost’s irritated growl cut in, obviously regretting the way the teams had to be set out.

“Sorry Rost”, they murmured guiltily and almost in unison,

“Just carry on straight Irid, we’re not that far ahead.” Aloy spoke into the focus, then switched it to mute, “oops”

Erend laughed, “never mind oops, I needed that and I think you did too.”

Aloy smiled shyly, “you’re good at making me have fun,”

Erend raised an eyebrow, “you seem pretty good at making your own fun, how many times did you watch -Erend waterfall shower – slow motion- I ask you while reminding you that the number is right there in the corner”.

Aloy blushed scarlet, clapping both hands across her face, “oh, erm, I, erm.”

Erend smirked, “I know my own body language kitten, I definitely knew you were watching and I was definitely giving you a show”. He flexed his arm over his head showing off the muscles of his shoulder to devastating effect, “see”.

Aloy’s face matched her hair for intensity, but she didn’t look away, instead gulping, mouth suddenly very dry, licking her lips she looked puzzled, “did you just call me kitten?”

Just at that moment Irid galloped up at a clumsy but not insubstantial pace. “shall we off?” he asked, and the trio continued toward the daytower.


	9. Daytower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daytower, Nakoa, Vaid.  
> Aloy is snarky, Erend is insecure, I'm weirdly fond of Irid now.  
> I write things about Nil that are not canon, but not contradicted, I have a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a swear in this one and I don't know how to change the rating.  
> Still after a beta reader

It was probably an hour after dawn when the crossed the embrace gate, it was odd to see Varl and not call him friend but Aloy felt it best to simply show her seekers mark, and ride past cementing her mystical reputation, the one that had severed her burgeoning friendship with the brave in her memory, glad that he had no reason to be fond of her here, after all his mother never went missing pursuing his sister’s killers because his sister is alive, she bade fond regards to Sona and Vala be passed on and continued toward Day tower gate.

“I have to clear the bandit camp” Aloy spoke suddenly into the focus as the scenery changed around them, “take a break, it'll take me an hour".

Erend looked at her in horror, “you've lost it red"

She shrugged, “did it last time, it brings us an ally we'll need, if I need back-up I'll shout, but I assumed you'd not want to drag Irid lengthways through a bandit camp".

Irid nodded, “that's fair, I'd be a liability".

Erend’s jaw was square as he looked at her, “what's his name? This Ally Aloy?”

Aloy looked him in the eye, amber blaze to ice blue, “his name is Nil".

Erend tapped the focus and started pulling files, Erend looked puzzled at the air in front of him, “Nil? That's Loyal Nilesh, he served under Uthid, did 2 years at Sunstone rather than give any information on who remained loyal to the Mad King, not a bad man, how did he become this, he wanted you to kill him?”

Aloy never raised her head, “he's fractured Erend, I feel sorry for him, he doesn’t have anything left, but he's good at this, he helped us, at Meridian.”

Erend nodded, “Ersa knew him, when she was a slave, he said she was warrior flesh, passed her bits of his food, what happened at the end there?”

Aloy shrugged, “I didn’t find out last time, maybe this run through,” her eyes looked haunted “maybe next time,” with that she wheeled the strider and galloped into the hills.

Erend and Irid whiled away the time running through footage stored on the focus, Irid on the footage around the tasks required around Meridian and Erend on Zaid’s slaving enterprise, scratching out details on to a notebook.

After about 50 minutes Aloy returned tired and sad, covered in blood.

Erend leapt to his feet “fire and steel girl, are you injured?”

Aloy shook her head, “no, it was exactly the same, exactly, word for word, it’s not even the same time of day, but their actions were…” Aloy’s voice petered out, “c’mon, let’s move”.

Without the corrupted machines in the sacred lands the day tower had no reason to close the gate, and there is nothing like riding up with the under captain of the king's own Vanguard and a senior priest of the sun to change people’s opinions.

Aloy, rode through the gates to gasps from the occupants and slid down next to Nakoa, the other Nora woman stalking through the streets seeking vengeance, “if you leave this to my large friend you will find Zaid’s world is about to get a lot smaller”.

Erend greeted Captain Balahn as a brother, 3 words in his ear and he wheeled, eyes flaring with rage, ordering Walid to quickly and cleanly clear Zaid’s camp with only soldiers he trusted.

Balahn strode across the outpost in fury, Zaid saluted with appropriate dignity and Balahn punched him hard in the face. “it’s over Zaid, I know what you’ve done,” Zaid sprawled on the floor, still argued, “you’d believe a pair of savages, females to boot?”

Balahn laughed, “that outbuilding brought to life, the walking reminder of why you never underestimate a woman, brought evidence, that’s Captain Ersa’s baby brother, if he told me you were secretly a Nora Matriarch I’d believe him,”

Zaid spat on the floor, “Avad’s Oseram whore turned soldier and her kin have nothing, nothing on me,”

Kicking Zaid again Balahn signed, “figures don’t lie, the vanguard had your books Zaid, we know, you can stop now and I’ll ship you out to Janeva, or you can try and fight your way out.”

Zaid pulled himself to his feet, slowly snarling and with purpose drawing his sword, only to sprout feathers in the middle of his forehead.

“fight over, we need to get to Meridian”. Aloy slung her bow back over her shoulder.

Nakoa looked at her in wonderment, “thank you seeker”.

Aloy shrugged, “justice done, do you want to join my quest or return to the matriarchs with my message?” if Aloy noticed the men staring she didn’t mention it.

Nakoa embraced the redhead, “thank you, I will take your message.”

Aloy scribbled a note to Teersa, and another to Sona, “the all-mother provides,” she clapped the message and some shards into Nakoa’s hands, “be ready to answer my call”.

Turning back to the gobsmacked assembly, Aloy tilted her head and asked, “what?”.

Balahn bowed his head, “we have not been introduced miss”.

Aloy sighed and opened her mouth to recite her titles when Erend interjected with a wicked grin, “Aloy of and yet despite the Nora, Seeker, anointed, warmaiden, righter of wrongs, slayer of bandits, tamer of machines, living goddess”.

Aloy rolled her eyes and responded, “Aloy is fine. I need to get a pitcher of water and a change of clothes, he wasn’t kidding about the bandits and we have urgent business in Meridian”.

Balahn tilted his head to Erend, “friend of Ersa’s?” waving his hand to order the clean up on the ‘mess’ in the courtyard.

Erend laughed, “not yet but I am betting she will be, then she will fall out of love with me and help my big sister bully me for ever.”

Aloy laughed right back at him, she could almost taste his pain in the words, realising that she had never really known him as ‘Ersa’s little brother’ but obviously everyone else did, slowly she walked toward him, reaching her hand up to the side of his face she ran her thumb over his cheekbone, smearing ichor there, “water. Please. Erend. before I start shedding my armour here in the courtyard”.

A quick stop at a merchant and the loan of an anteroom had Aloy resplendent in Carja Style armour, with all the colour and bared skin that entailed.

“Rost you see this?” Erend muttered in to his focus, “I ain’t so sure about taking her to Meridian like this, I’m gonna get in waaaaay too many fights,”

Rost “Erend, did you just attempt to enlist me in a scheme to -stop- Aloy finding other suitors, because, I have to say…”

Erend laughed and put his hands up, “ok ok, I see where she gets it from, I’m wounded I tell ya.”

Aloy grabbed her packs and remounted her strider, “Captain Balahn, an honour, Walid!” Aloy waved across at a very confused Carja soldier who clearly did not recognise her.

Irid, reticently remounted his strider, and spoke quietly but with some recrimination “Aloy, you are confusing the locals, that man does not know you.”

“Oops, wrong timeline, he has a lovely singing voice”. Aloy turned her steed and they galloped on toward Meridian.


	10. exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Aloy lays things on the line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still looking for a beta.  
> thank you for the comments, they give me life.  
> I have tried writing action here, let me know what you think please.  
> Also, once again my characters speak in paragraphs. I've tried breaking it up, if anyone has more ideas please let me know.  
> (Yes I do talk that way, yes it's super annoying).  
> Love you all

The sun angled sharply as the took the steep path out of Daytower into the desert, Aloy tried to moderate her pace, planning out a route, tracking what she could, her muscles already burning from the days exertions, she may hold the memory of skills but her muscles didn’t hold the tone of half a year at war.

The Stormbird screech caught her short, turning in her seat on the strider; she reached for weapons she didn’t own, finding only fire arrows she started her attack as the huge mechanical bird dove toward them.

Firing arrow after arrow in fluid motion she wheeled the strider dangerously close to the edge of the precipitous terrain.

Time seemed to slow as she leapt from her mount just as it toppled down the red carja cliff, almost suspended, she fired three more arrows into the Stormbird's critical components.

Rather than landing heavily on the rock as she had expected, she found herself caught, midleap, the smack of strong Oseram steel armour against her back, she drew another trio of arrows from her quiver, lighting each on the striking point of her greave as she loosed and the mechanical bird crashed to the ground.

Her back was suddenly bare again as 200lb of raging Vanguard rolled neatly from the back of the strider drawing his hammer in a single motion, smashing at the shoulders of the beast, leaping onto its back to keep it grounded, pounding at the metal with the surety of a battle worn warrior.

Aloy didn’t spark her next three arrows, lodging them unlit down the screeching throat of the bird, disabling its primary weapons without risking setting off its blaze reservoir.

Erend stomped with a steel reinforced boot and with a final mechanical crack the battle was all over.

Aloy slid down from Erend's strider to begin to salvage what she could, neither warrior spoke, there was an intimacy of battle they didn’t really want to shatter.

Irid spoke first “that was magnificent, truly sun blessed”

Aloy continued stripping components, smiling gently in acknowledgement, she spoke softly, “it's a living".

Erend laughed, “beats the alternative" he said as he handed her a short chisel from his own belt so she could pry free the lens.

Aloy repelled down the cliff causing startled gasps before her voice came clear through the focus, “just grabbing my gear, I’ll be back in a few minutes” she climbed back up the cliff to Rost remonstrating her for causing him to lose his concentration and the rabbit he had been hunting.

When they had stowed her gear where they could, Erend looked speculatively through the focus map, “I’m not seeing another strider herd until just after we reach Day’s Height, we’ll have to double,”

Aloy bit her lip, warring thoughts in her head, finally, and with a slightly peeved tone she said, “We’ll be faster if I double with Irid”,

Irid exclaimed, “Aloy that can’t be, I can’t be in close contact with a woman, it is forbidden”.

Erend looked confused but not displeased, he shrugged, “guess you’re with me red”.

Aloy tried to stay collected but her cheeks betrayed her, “We want to get to Day’s height before sunset anyway, so let’s get moving”.

They set off at a steady pace keeping to the road, avoiding a convoy of shellwalkers, Aloy muttered into her focus “channel local, as much as I could use the shards those shellbacks would give us, I could use some rest and a hot meal, Erend can you pull some strings and get us rooms at Days Height” Rolling her shoulders Aloy sighed, “I want a bath” the weariness in her bones and the warmth of Erend behind her seem to draw the tension out of her as she leant back in to him.

Erend wrapped a greaved arm around her slender waist, “relax a bit warmaiden, I’ve got you.” The fragrance of her hair surrounded him and his fingertips brushed the smooth skin of her side exposed by scant Carja armour.

The miles went far too fast for Aloy as she half dozed in the safety of Erend’s arms, the long spring evening softening the shadows down to butterscotch.

As they galloped up the flat plain at the front of Day's Height Erend murmured to his seat mate, “Showtime kitten".

Aloy straightened up as best she could as Erend bellowed in what she had always privately thought of as his Captain’s voice, “Oi the gate, Vanguard requires assistance”

The two drowsy guards at the gate snapped to attention and one skittered away to find someone more useful, by the time they had reached the gate a wildeyed young Carja Lieutenant was just getting his feathers in order.

“Forthright Alim at your service, How can Day’s Height serve the Sun Kings own Vanguard?” he asked, not sating his clear curiosity at their mounts.

“Under Captain Erend Escorting Reverent Irid Priest of the Sun and chosen envoy of the 14th Sun King to the Nora people; and Anointed Aloy, Chosen Seeker of the Nora, Daughter of the mountain, Warmaiden and Tamer of Machines.” His tone was crystalline “the envoy of the Nora is injured, she urgently requires room and bathing facilities to tend her wounds in the manner of her people before heading onward to a personal audience at high Meridian, gleaming jewel in the sands”

Forthright Alim looked gobsmacked, he stood an inch taller than before and slammed his fist against his cuirass, “Quarters will be arranged at once, I will arrange everything”.

Aloy leaned back slightly, resting her head on Erend’s shoulder and looking up at him, “I think understand now, you bludgeon them with words the way you smash a machine with your warmaul.”

Growling low into her ear he murmured, “you better believe it” he felt the shiver whispering in her ear elicited in his seatmate and couldn’t resist continuing, “are you alright my kitten, are you cold maybe?” there was something intoxicating about the effect his voice had on her.  
Erend always fell hardest when he had the best intentions, he was trying so hard not to slip into the easy intimacy that his ‘other self’ had earned, but she was -intoxicating-, and Erend had a problem with intoxicants.

Aloy dismissed the striders, explaining, “it will allow me to hold Rost and Olin’s longer, we can see the herd from here and I can override more in the morning, it’ll give you a chance to practise too”, she motioned to Erend.

Alim returned and brought them up to a suite of rooms, “I apologise for the locks, these are left from when this gate was occasionally used to hold noble prisoners, they are by far the nicest rooms we have, and the only ones with heated baths”.

Irid was shown to the chapel to do his sunset prayers as Erend stowed the gear. He looked up to see Aloy begin to shed her bags and armour as she headed toward the bathing pool, he coughed to remind her of his presence.

Aloy looked back over her shoulder with a simmering look as she shimmied out of the abbreviated skirt of the blazon armour, leaving a back covered only by a sea of flaming hair and curved backside more ornamented with than covered by her small cloth, taking the focus from her ear and putting it up on the decorative shelf she smiled, “I’m looking forward to this.”

Erend swallowed hard, he’d never been good when it came to temptation and she was a mugful and a half, but hadn’t earned the trust she was offering, or the gift, he was halfway to the door when her voice called out, “Erend could you bring me through my waterskin please?”

The seconds drew out in front of him, he could feel his heart beating hammer to anvil in his chest, grabbing her waterskin from the pile that littered the ground behind her and grabbed it in a death grip as he tried to steel himself against her unpolished but effective wiles.

With one hand over his eyes he thrust his arm in to the bathing room, “Here” he held the skin by his fingertips, Aloy’s laugh echoed in the tiled room, in a sing song voice she called, “I’m in the tub, come nearer” he took 2 more steps, eyes still covered.

Her voice got smaller somehow, “I thought you liked to look at me, I know I’m skinny by Oseram standards, but I’m not malformed”.

He winced at the vulnerability in her voice, “fire and spit Red, you’re not making it easy. I’m trying to be a good man here and you’re offering me something another man earned”.

He heard splashing, and, thank the forge, the rustle of fabric, he dropped his hand cautiously to see Aloy, looking small, swathed in a gold cotton bath sheet like a tiny, angry, damp goddess.

Walking toward him she took the waterskin from his outstretched hand.

Her hazel eyes flickered green and gold in the dying light, “I’m not wages Erend, I’m not extra rations or a Blazing Sun at the end of a hunting ground trial, I’m me, a woman, who is now trying to save the world for, to my reckoning, the second time in a year, it might not be you that fought beside me last time, but you wear the same skin, tell me the same jokes, you smell the same, I lived through all of that and now I have to do it again, so pardon me for wanting to right -all- the mistakes I made last time.” She takes a long swallow from the skin and he tries so hard not to look.

“Did we, I mean were we?” he trails off, asks without asking,

Aloy shook her head, looking at her feet “no, I had a plan though, we’d get down from the spire, see who was alive or dead, and then ask you to take me home, just like this I’d shed my armour… but I woke up back at the beginning and... and I have the chance to change all these things, to make everything right, I can’t regret that, but fire and spit Erend I’m tired, my soul hurts, and I have no idea if this time it will even stick, but I know I want you, I have wanted you since you stood by that stage answering a dozen questions and still inviting me to come see the sun, I have wanted you through pain and grief and fire and damnit Erend”,

she stamped her foot, he opened his mouth, “please” Aloy asked, “just let me finish” he closed his mouth.

“I know Irid lied, there’s no prohibition on priests of the light being married to a woman, let alone sitting next to one, All-Mother knows what that was about, matchmaking from how fast he bolted when we got her, but you went along with it, so you wanted to be near me, you’ve been flirting all day, and I know you flirt a lot, less after… but still, I could feel your hands on me, I thought…” Aloy gasped, her voice and body tight with frustration, sighing she spoke resignedly “I thought you wanted me too, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I apologise.”


	11. Conflagration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I changed the rating because I have spent a week writing smut, I wanted it to be lovely for her.

Rost was not a happy man, he was away from sacred lands, astride a devil machine, his only companion a hard drinking Oseram who had already betrayed his friends once.

His adopted daughter, who should by rights be in the bosom of the tribe forging a new life, was headed toward Meridian, the most corrupt city in the known world, with a giant, flirty vanguard, with whom she was clearly besotted, on a mission to save the world and by all rights he should be dead.

Rost was not having a good day.

The snippets he got through the focus were distracting, and cost him his dinner, but comforting, there had obviously been battles but were clearly triumphant, even so Rost worried.

Olin was more than willing to ride as long as Rost allowed, so they rode onward in silence, into the sunset without so much as a pause beyond Rost attempting to rope shot rabbits as they pelted along, then suddenly the buzz from Aloy’s focus went silent.

Rost tuned-in to Erend’s signal to see darkness, no not darkness, a hand blocking the feed, “I’m in the tub, come nearer” sang out Aloy’s voice through Erend’s focus, Rost’s jaw clenched.  
“I thought you liked to look at me, I know I’m skinny by Oseram standards, but I’m not malformed” her voice sounded fragile and Rost swallowed a wave of nausea; then Erend's booming tones “fire and spit Red, you’re not making it easy. I’m trying to be a good man here…”   
Rost ripped the focus out of his ear, there are some things no father needs to see.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Erend held up 1 finger, looked her dead in the eye, “I am a gentleman and respect you whole heartedly” then he removed the focus from his ear, placing it inside a pot of spiced salt designed for bathing and firmly replacing the lid.

“you’re impossible, and brilliant, and irresistible and I doubt I will ever feel like I deserve you,” he put his hands either side of her face and kissed her, slowly and softly and sweet; but slowly gaining heat as her hand flitted across his armour, it became a crushing kind of kiss, a feel it tomorrow kiss, the kind that echoes, and the juxtaposition of her nakedness and his Oseram steel became even more obvious.

“less clothes please” she murmured hungrily into his mouth, his hands had stayed at her head, sinking into her mane of red hair as the kiss deepened but hers were greedily seeking a way past the thick hide and steel.

“slow down little spark, relax, I’ve got you” he slowly ran his hands down the back of her neck, the callouses on his hand creating extra friction as they traced the softness of her skin.

Gathering the sheet around her waist with his strong hands, Erend hoisted Aloy and her makeshift toga as easily as he’d have lifted the sheet alone, moving her back in to the main bedroom, laying her gently on the bed he kissed stole another kiss from her passion bruised mouth, “ready for a show kitten?”

To say Erend was not ashamed of his body would be an understatement, so he was looking forward showing Aloy all she’d been dreaming about, swallowing the voice in his head that whispered “not him not him not him” he slacked the buckle of the armour belt that sat over the buckles of the kilt of his leg armour, with that removed he dropped to his knees at the side of the bed and started kissing up Aloy’s calf, the scruff of his mutton chops tickling the back of her knee, he stopped mid thigh, reversing his progress and then pausing to remove his vambraces.

Aloy growled, “I am starting to resent all that Oseram steel Erend, I want to touch you so badly” she sat up, sliding closer to where he knelt, running gentle hands over the shaved sides of his head.

“Tell you what Kitten, why don’t you show me what you like while I get out of all this tinpot and leather?” he asked as he worked at the side buckles of his breastplate.Aloy’s eyes darkened, “I have dreamed of getting you out of all of that metal, all the way here” she slid her hands up her sides, “the heat of you behind me, the motion” cupping her breasts in her hands, she moaned, “your hand on my stomach”, she slid her left hand down as Erend shrugged his way out of the main body of his armour, tipping it over his head with a tooth rattling thunk.

Erend chuckled softly and Aloy outright giggled at the noise, he rested his head on her knee, looking up admiringly as he unbuckled his greaves, somehow the rattle had changed the tone, they had moved through to a kind of comfortable intimacy.

Turning his head to inhale the heat of her, he peppered soft kisses on her inner thigh, as he finally unlaced his boots, “nearly done kitten, soon you’ll only need to get me out of my clothes”. His chuckle travelled up her skin and it felt like a string being plucked.

He stood and kicked off his boots, unlacing the strips of leather that gripped his upper arms, Aloy leant forward and started to unlace the front of his trousers, “I have a serious question Erend, how do you piss in this gettup?”

He laughed “they’re split trew red,”

she looked up at him in indignation, “you mean this whole time I could have…” she slid her hand between his thighs and into the folds of his thick cotton trousers, to gently run her fingertips up his shaft.

Erend gasped through his teeth at the gentle exploration, “if you ever want me out of these clothes you need to wait kitten,”

Aloy pulled her hand back slowly as he stumbled out of his boots, knelt between her knees he smirked as he leaned forward to worship her with his mouth, hot hands parted the lips of her vulva, he lapped at her, twisting his tongue as she gasped and moaned under his ministrations, flickering his tongue over her clitoris and then whirling around her labia minora, as she writhed, he kept up the pressure, steady and slow he helped her body sing, beginning to push his tongue inside her, opening her up, and then returning to the slow and torturous circuit, stealing her breath as he drank her heat.

Aloy felt the smooth sheets under her back, making fists in the rich linens, the heat in the air, his whiskers on her thighs and the hot insistence of his tongue, a spring coiled low in her belly and a hunger burned through her, “Erend Please, oh, please” she begged, though for what she wasn’t sure.

Erend teased her entrance with a thick finger, “are you hungry for me kitten?” he murmured deep in the valley of her, teasing her to new heights as he slowly filled her up.

Although her life, climbing, riding, surviving meant that no physical barrier barred the path of his finger, she shivered at the unused to intrusion, as he beckoned her from within she came all undone around him, gasping at the double pressure from without and within, as the colours of the universe shifted around her and she screamed “Erend” bucking.

He placed a large hand on her abdomen and continued the maddening pressure, adding a second finger to pillaging her and keeping the intensity of his tongue at her apex, sucking and nibbling bringing the coil of tension back up as she threshed on the bed, “please, I need to touch you” she begged, almost sitting trying to reach for him, pushing her hands through his mohawk, still the insistence of his tongue continued.

“You want me kitten?” he murmured in to her copper curls returning to his dedicated task, flattening his tongue and undulating it against the nub of her pleasure, Aloy howled and begged, the boundaries of her skin too small as she scratched at his shoulders as of she would rip the shirt from his back in shreds if she could.

“do you need me kitten?” he asked, finally easing the pressure kissing over the top of her mound and up her hip, “do you believe me now?” he asked as he shrugged the striped linen shirt over his head, revealing a muscular barrel chest, thickly furred, bringing his body close to hers, the heat of him covering her as his talented and persistent mouth took her rose tipped breasts to task, nuzzling with stubbled chin, and sharp, if gentle teeth.

The weight of him between her thighs was almost too much, the crossed laces of his breeches rubbing against her as she rose her hips up against him, wrapping her long, supple legs around his waist she used his body as a pivot in as agile a manner as she would have leapt upon a machine, she swung underneath him until they were face to face.

“Believe what, that you’re driving me insane” she asked, grinding her lithe body against him, climbing him, revelling in his heat. 

He wriggled out of the half laced trews and aligned his cock against her, “That I want you, need you, crave you, from the moment I saw you from the stage at Mother’s Heart, like fire kiln route in the desert.” 

He reached down adjust the angle, the head of his penis lined against the heart of her, “tell me you want this Aloy,” he asked, holding back at her entrance, 

“Please Erend, please” her begging twanged at the lasts threads of self-control, 

He began to push himself home, holding her lean body close, kissing her neck, ”if you want me to stop just say Aloy, you just have to say”

She was so tight, so full, stretched to the brink, burning up, sounds coming from her body that it had never made before, she almost sobbed as he finally bottomed out, “don’t stop” she gasped “never stop”.

Her responsive body clenched around him and he panted, growling in to the soft skin of her throat, working his body against her, thrusting again and again, losing himself in her fire, their bodies, slick with lust and desert heat, moving with the same synchronicity they had in battle.

She was making those small, almost inhuman sounds again as he ground himself against her, “come-on kitten” he panted, his hand were everywhere on her skin as he drove in to her body in ceaseless rhythm, his jagged breathing catching with every thrust. 

“C’mon, love” his skin was flushed with the effort until finally she shuddered his name escaping her lips like cannon fire, he gave in and filled her entirely, pulsing hot cum as her muscles shivered around him.

Aloy collapsed bonelessly in his arms and he brought them gently to a side by side entanglement, still lodged together, kissing her face he almost begged “are you alright kitten?”

He brought his large hand up to the side of her face, brushing a strand of hair away, gently peppering her face with kisses as if to kiss every freckle.

She giggled, rolling her body against him, eliciting a groan. 

“Naughty” he whispered groggily, holding her body hard against him, as if he could absorb her into his skin.

Aloy kissed him sweetly, “I need up,” she stretched and he slowly, reluctantly began to unwind himself, stealing kisses as they returned to their own spaces and reality.

Just as Aloy reached the edge of the large bed he grabbed her back into a bear hug and kissed her again, “you’re perfect you know, just perfect.”

She returned the kiss, “not that perfect, I still need to use the drops,” she chuckled, as his face split in a grin and he finally let her free for real, rolling his shoulders, flexing his impressive musculature, “Hurry back my little stormbird, I reckon we have time for another round and some supper before we need to bank down for a dawn departure.”

Aloy padded nude back to the bathroom to clean herself up and revel a little in the new soreness, the focus on the shelf glinted reminding her.

She gathered her thoughts and stared out of the window, buzzing the other focus it took a minute or so for the click of a connection to sound“ Ahoy Rost, reporting in, we made Day’s height for sunset, stopping here,” 

Rost coughed softly into the feed “ahem yes, rest well Aloy, we’ll ride until we can’t” 

Aloy acknowledged and wondered at the stilted nature of the conversation, “Goodnight Rost” she said softly, wondering if she sounded different now.

Staring into the looking glass she wondered if she looked more womanly now, there were reddened patches on her pale skin, her lips were enflamed, redder even than when she had painted them. 

Erend padded up behind her kissing at the back of her neck, running his hands over her body so she could watch in the glass.

“As much as if the forge would give me the steel I’d take you again right here while you watched, we need to eat and that poor lieutenant has just knocked to say he has put on a nosh, ready to be exotic my little kiln flower?”

Aloy guided his hand over her breast, closing her fingers just a little prompting him to squeeze, “I’d rather do the mirror thing” she whimpered, “pah, time to get on with the business of gaining allies I suppose.”


	12. Reunification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rost's perspective, plot!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the smut last chapter, for me it made sense that Aloy would be grasping life with both hands, and Erend is not great with temptation, but I guess it landed wrong, either that or it wasn't good, anyways, back to the plot, let me know in the comments if you want me to switch to fade to black- going forward.

Rost and Olin finally drew their striders to a halt just past midnight, west of lonelight but still about an hour south east of where Olin’s family were held.

Rost broke out some of the trail ration Erend had made back in the embrace, amazed at how far they had come.

Olin looked at the large and taciturn man, “Are you all with me Rost? I can do this without you if I need to?”

Rost physically shook his head as if to shake off the fog of a foul mood, “I’m with you Olin” he turned the focus around in his hands, “with yours, did you ever, see things you oughtn’t?”

Olin laughed, “to begin with we’d catch all sort we shouldn’t have, but they put in walls of fire and it settled down, did you glimpse Erend staring at Aloy’s arse or taking a piss or something?”

Rost stared at the ground, “no, is he a good man, your friend Erend?”

Olin blinked a few times, “better than he thinks he is, it’s a funny thing, Ersa, of the two of them is better in a brawl, like a demon, but Erend, he holds the Vanguard together, they fear her, they love him” 

Olin scratched the side of his nose, “do you want to hear how they came out of the claim?”

Rost nodded, almost aching to hear that Aloy hadn’t thrown her heart away on some lug.

“he brought the Vanguard out of the claim to fetch her, she was caught as a freebooter you see, sent to the red ring” Rost looked up at that,

Olin continued “Erend rallied everyone who could see sunlight and hear thunder and marched them on Meridian like an Army, their father, the Ealdorman was furious, Erend had stripped the claim of the able of bodied like”

Olin shrugged, “of course he found her 2 days march out with a host of escaped slaves and the exiled prince and just handed command to her like it was her right, but he could have kept it, but she’s older like, used to look after him when their mother died, help him when, well, their da’ is where he gets the drinkin’ from so…” Olin’s voice faded out

“Any way he’s a good lad, I’ve never seen him start a fight that wasn’t earned or take advantage of anyone who wasn’t taking advantage right back, he can cook and he earns a solid wage and keeps a good house, he has the ear of the king and the loyalty of his men, he’s kind to small animals especially if they’re tasty…”

Olin sighed “I doubt I can say anything to make you feel better, but if it helps, I’ve never seen him look at any other woman the way he looks at your daughter.”

Rost grunted, “That does help, thank you Olin, I apologise for my manner, I have only had Aloy to speak with for a long time, you might note that she tends to fill the silence”.

Olin laughed again, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so light, “my Coln can talk the ear of a boar, I can’t wait for him to see these striders, he wants to be a tinkerer you know..”

The 2 men shared stories of children and wives and life as fathers for an easy 2 hours, waiting for the inevitable shift in light as the dawn draws closer in the desert, both knowing battle was too close to sleep, as the hour drew to 2 hours passed midnight.

They climbed gingerly back on to their striders, nodded, and returned to the trail, dodging snapmaws and pushing their endurance until the map point on Rost’s focus said they were where they needed to be, once Rost had scouted, he secured his focus back in the pouch, and began their attack.

Rost started picking off the outermost guards, some were half asleep, others drinking from flasks, like a wave of death, any man out of sight of his fellows fell to Rost’s silent encroachment.

Olin’s role was more simple, when all the solitary guards were down he charged in with a maul in one hand and a sabre in the other, screaming at the limit of his voice and drawing all the attention, making so much racket that the slithering wave of arrows went unnoticed until it was too late.

Turning to his compatriot Olin said in a low voice, “you couldn’t leave me one?”

Rost shrugged and conspicuously started looting the bodies of any undamaged arrows, shards, desert glass and eventually a large iron key.

Olin raced with the key toward the heavy doors, springing them he found Enasha and Coln and wrapped them in his arms, on his knees before his family.

Rost had to turn away, he thought about pinging Aloy’s focus, just to see her for a moment, but chose instead to replay a sweet image of her looking in the water at her own face as he came to fetch her, she must have gotten distracted watching the fish as she did often at that age, and he felt his heart ache for the innocent child she never really got to be, and he thought of Alana, wishing that he had moving images of her smile too, and of the young woman she never got to be, then a little reconciled, he turned to meet Olin’s family, to get ready to take them to Lonelight to rest and recover.

Olin smothered himself in his family, surrounding himself in the sound of them, then taking a heavy mace from one of the fallen eclipse, he systematically smashed every eclipse focus finishing with his own.


	13. Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Erend finds out where he stands, and asks himself if he can stand it.

The Dinner at Day’s height was at least sparsely attended, a pair of landowners from a neighbouring homestead and the 2 officers of the posting, Irid returned from the chapel, Erend and Aloy.

The table was laden with glistening fruit piled on large platters, Sweet curd cheese, opulent dishes heavy with Carja spice, Aloy could only imagine how overwhelmed she would have been had she been here at this point in her previous timeline.

She smiled and held her tongue as they prattled, trying to wear Avad’s smile, whilst simultaneously revelling in her new awareness of her own body, she smiled, stealing another glance at Erend who had been placed to her left, right of the lieutenant, he smirked and wriggled his moustache, making her giggle.

Irid spoke of the nobility and beauty of the Embrace, he had obviously seen Nora lands from a very different perspective than she had but leaving her plenty of opportunities to extol the virtues of her people.

Playing the diplomat Aloy gave her best endeavour toward unity, and the future amity of her people, without being too specific, “Currently our Matriarchs are not ready for our people to come out in to the world, but my dearest hope, is that going forward all the tribes will be able to bring their strengths together to create a better society for all and to stand together against any man or sect that would do harm.”

Erend put his hand over hers under the table, “nicely put” he whispered into her ear.

She shivered, “stole it from Avad” she whispered back, 

Erend’s laugh boomed, and drew slight attention, but the appearance of the conversation was not untoward, it looked fond but not improper, he didn’t take his hand back though.

Aloy smiled at Irid who was picking at his meal and watching them quite closely, “was the chapel proper Irid? I know it must have been hard not have had access to the trappings of your faith”

Irid smiled at the thoughtful question, “Thank you Aloy, it was wonderfully reassuring to be back in Sundom proper and have the articles present, I am still looking forward to being back in Meridian.”

Erend nodded, “Of course, all being well, thanks to our miraculous Aloy, we should make Meridian for evening Prayers, noon if we travel early and hard, you must be keen to be back to your wife Irid.”

“Indeed, I have missed her dearly” he agreed, grinning unrepentantly at Erend and Aloy.

Aloy laughed gently and raised her glass of fruit juice, “we shall get you back safely Reverent one”.

The conversation turned to battle, and inevitably to the taming of machines, Aloy simply referred to it as a blessing from the all mother and her gift as the anointed, not wanting to explain that her sufficiently advanced technology was, in point of fact, indistinguishable from magic.

The last of the grand dishes were cleared away and Aloy made her excuses, leaving Erend and Irid to cups and company Forthright Alim who chose that moment to live up to his name.

“Reverent, we have moved your bags to another set of rooms, I apologise, they are not as well appointed but I thought it more suitable, Apologies again under captain, if I had known …”

Erend patted the serious young officer on the shoulder, “Thanks for not embarrassing the young lady Alim, s’appreciated”.

Alim smiled, “I am surprised though that an Oseram would take up with one of the Nora”, Irid seemed to be going red, shaking his head at Alim.

Erend looked wary, “why would you say that?”

Alim laughed, “Oseram tend toward marriage, ‘bonds of the forge’ and all that?”

Erend looked at him askance, “aye and what of it, bit early for the young lady and I to be forging a dagger together".

Alim smiled gently, “the Nora have no such tradition, Nora only partner bond for childrearing.”

Erend turned to Irid with a sickly smile, “I assume this came up during your studies Irid?”

Irid stared at his cup, “erm, well yes, it was, mentioned, a bit".

“Right" sighed Erend looking at his now empty cup “excuse me if I go and make the most of my time in the sun".

Alim looked between the 2 men as Erend stood away from the table, “apologies, I didn’t mean to cause issue".

Erend clapped his large hand on the young lieutenant’s shoulder, “it's alright man, best to know where I stand".

Erend walked heavily up the stairs lost in thought, could have imagined forging a future with Aloy, perhaps, perhaps it was too early even to perhaps, but to be told outright that it wouldn’t…

his cheeks flushed as the image of the warmaiden in a tan linen dress with a soft leather apron over a round belly, a headwrap holding her long red hair back as she tinkered at the battered wooden table in the little house Avad had awarded him, a bunch of that blue shimmer scattered in front of her, her freckles glowing softly in the evening sun that always hit the kitchen just so.

Erend shook his head if the stray thought, silly to mourn something he never knew he’d never even thought of, perhaps there were other thoughts she needed to think all the way through, people she'd denied herself.

He sat on the cold stairs, flickering through the images on the focus, and tried search under different words, gave him Petra, forge fire that woman was brazen.

gave him an odd montage that included Avad admitting he was in love with Ersa, well if the previous Conversation hadn't killed his ardour then the thought of his sister with a skinny royal lover did.

The story of Elida caught his heart strings, he made a note on the file to talk to Marad about making a defector of the lad Atral, and send one of the vanguard back to the claim to escort Kendert to his wife, Erend flinched, back where he started, husbands and wives.

Drawing himself to his full height Erend stretched and stepped toward the bedroom door, Aloy was stretched out across the bed gesturing in the air, the now familiar indicator that she was lost in the files . Erend made a steady amount of noise waiting for her to acknowledge him without startling her.

If Erend was feeling insecure before, kneeling nude in the lamplight front of his distracted lover 4 hours after sundown in the desert was not helping. “Aloy, can you hear me?” he gently brushed the hair away from her face and she smiled up at him.

“Just finishing mark these files, make it easier for you to search without it sending the request directly to me,” her look was fond if direct, Erend’s face flushed “You can ask me about my past if you like.”

Erend stuttered, “hang on,” he muttered as he got up on the bed and pulled the coverlet up to his waist, Aloy curled into his side, laying her head on his shoulder and looking up at him with her impossible eyes, “so, I suppose I am just wonderin’, without judgin’ as like, how many ‘untaken paths’ you’re intendin’ to wander down, you see I…” he looked down at her amused face that was clearly holding back a giggle.

Those huge guileless eyes stared up at him, “remember Irid? I am not actually fresh out of the embrace, I know you Erend, you don’t know me yet, but I know you,” she slid across, kneeling over his lap, kissing him soundly, “I’m looking forward to you learning me”.

He brought those big hands up to her waist, “I’m looking forward to that too”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... do you want the smut or no? you tell me


	14. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meridian and meeting Ersa

The dawn broke clear, Erend and Aloy were packed and dressed at the outer gates with three striders, Alim and Irid met them with provisions and a bag of letters to Meridian.

Alim waved the trio onward as the dawn hit the gate and without much of a word Aloy hurtled forward at pace, speaking instead into the focus, “Try to keep up today Irid, no matchmaking required.”

Riding hard but following the roads they made excellent time reaching the gleaming spring fields of the royal Maizelands by late morning, the light and glowing fields brought a fierce determination to Aloy’s heart, the devastation she had seen here would not happen again.

As they galloped toward the village Aloy got more and more nervous, she had heard so often that Ersa would love her, she had just about let herself believe it, but what if she didn’t, what if Erend’s sister, Avad’s lover, took against her?

Then the support she had come to rely on, the Vanguard, the Carja, Erend himself, they would all be gone, the closer she came to those grand walls the more nervous she became.

They ditched the striders outside the village and proceeded to the elevators on foot, Aloy slid closer to Erend as they moved until as they reached the brass cages that made up the great elevator of Meridian, Erend slid his arm around her, “Ersa will love you Red, you might have to beat her in a fight, but she’ll love you.”

Aloy smiled wanly, “I just hope she doesn’t hate me for despoiling her baby brother, because I intend to do that again almost as soon as we have privacy.” The bravado was a little hollow but his laugh warmed her.

Meridian glowed golden in the noonday sun as Irid took his leave to head, at haste, toward the Sun Circle while Erend and Aloy used a bouncing march pace to get toward the vanguard hall in the city.

Erend flagged a sandy haired guardsman near the gate, “Kiln, this is Aloy of the Nora, serious heavyweight, has intel for Ersa, she here or at her office?”

Kiln looked at Aloy’s armour and weapons appraisingly, he clearly made a decision and nodded, “her office in the palace, want me to fetch her?” 

Aloy responded before Erend could, “how about have her meet us at the room above the Anvil?”

Kiln raised both eyebrows, “that serious, yes ma’am.” And taking Day’s Watch’s letters he jogged away.

Erend laughed, “so of course you know about the room where we can get absolute privacy and pour a glass of sappersap into Ersa when we start talking about time travel, we’ve got 20 minutes then, where will you stow your gear?” his voice was soft at the end of the sentence, like he was hoping but wasn’t sure of the answer.

“Well in my timeline you kick down Olin’s door and Avad gives me his house, any ideas where a Nora warmaiden might get a night’s rest?” she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

That great warm booming laugh shook her again, vibrating in her belly, “well I have no idea where you’d get any rest but you’re welcome to stop with me for as long as you see fit”.

They jogged around the west quadrant and bounced up to Erend’s house, “I suppose you know your way around already?”

Aloy shook her head a little shyly, “we never got this far in my timeline Erend.”

Erend put his hand in her hair, drawing her face up to look at him, pressing a kiss to her lips, he drew back softly, “let’s get you right at home shall we?”

The light was beginning to draw to the west, lighting the kitchen and taking the chill out of it, the heavy wood table and pitch black stove gave the room a well lived in look, “kitchen, through there’s for sitting apparently, I stow armour in it, yard out back with a line an a tub for laundry, upstairs I got 2 bedrooms, 1 for sleeping, one for books and a proper Carja bath, with a boiler. Sorry the bedroom’s a bit spartan, I don’t take company here”

“till now” Aloy whispered,

“Until now” Erend smiled in response, “We can pick up some fixins, make it comfortable for you once we’ve saved the world a time or two, but now I have to get you out of the bedroom before I get distracted”.

Aloy laughed a bright laugh and jogged back down the stairs toward The Anvil, Meridian’s premier Oseram pub and the real headquarters of her Vanguard.

Aloy waved at the barmaid as she walked in, “Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Cora, I have heard all the best things about you, can you really throw a hammer 60 spans in a straight line?”

The slightly older, dark haired, dark eyed propriatress of the Anvil smiled, “my boys been telling tales I see, maybe I’ll show you another day, what would you be drinking little spark?”

Aloy looked askance, “Why do you all call me that? I have been told that you have brewed a mead with those Carja spices, is it true miss Cora?”

Cora looked perplexed, “now how did you know that, it’s not even bottled? We call you little spark because you look like a tailed ember off the forge my dear, red hair is very lucky among our people, Erend has your friend got the sight?”

Erend smiled, “Yes Miss Cora, we reckon she sees the unseen with some unerring accuracy,”

Miss Cora responded, “well, if you can find what the coals I did with the key to my book safe then you can sup a cup of that fine spiced ale that’s not been drawn yet and I’ll believe you’ve the sight.”

Aloy tapped her focus, clearly spotting the key, leaning in so no-one else could hear she whispered, “you, ahem, tucked it in your bodice Miss Cora, left side.”

Cora felt the side of her dress and laughed, “so I did little spark, what shall I call you then if not little spark?”

Aloy bowed her head, “I am called Aloy Miss Cora, I am sent to put some things right.”

Cora smiled “well if you’re here to fix things then you are in the right company among the Oseram, we like to fix things, who all else is due Erend? I’ll make up a tray.”

Erend drew his purse, “Ersa and ‘our Carja friend’ hopefully”

Cora laid out a tray with 2 dark brown ales, a glass of spiced mead a fine goblet full of excellent Carja wine, “I’ll send up some food too, it’s not much beyond luncheon”.

They took the tray up and laid it on the heavy oak table, “our Carja friend?” Aloy asked in confusion, “Marad?”

Erend laughed, “no, Avad, any excuse and he’s here for a briefing, now I know why.”

Aloy nodded, “you really didn’t suspect?”

Erend shrugged, “didn’t want to I suppose, can’t see much of a happy ending for them,”

Aloy got that look on her face again, “shall we try and gift them one?”

Erend grabbed Aloy’s tiny wait and spun her around, lifting her clean off her feet, “you make anything seem possible Red, anything, fire and spit I could…”

The door opened to His Majesty Avad the 14th Sun King, doing his best to look inconspicuous in a snow white floor length cloak at noon, and Ersa, Captain of the Vanguard, Saviour of Meridian, healthy, whole and very alive, looking on dubiously at her brother Under Captain Erend, who appeared to be juggling the Nora Ambassador.

Erend put Aloy down suddenly and looked sheepish, Aloy looked at Avad, and then Ersa, and back again, “good afternoon,” she said, from behind a pinched lipped smile, that was obviously holding back a laugh, “Aloy of the Nora, pleased to meet you.”

It was Ersa who started laughing first, her laughter was lighter in tone but just as rich and contagious as her brother, Avad followed and finally Erend joined them, “Timing sis, by the forge you have timing.”

They sat around the large table and Aloy took a deep breath ready to start her story when Cora came with the food, Oseram smoked meat and cheese with Carja chilled fruit, they picked until she bobbed out, the silence hanging over the table.

Aloy drew a breath again to speak, half expecting, half hoping for another disruption. “Dervhal is alive” there was a gasp at this from Avad, 

Aloy carried on as if the words would burn her mouth if she didn’t speak “and he is trying to lure Ersa into a trap, he either already has or will send you, Ersa, a letter asking for parley, then will attempt to use a sonic, noise making, machine to incapacitate you”.

Avad was speaking half over her, “If Dervhal were alive I’d know, my sp…”

Ersa cut him off, “the letter came this morning, honestly, I knew it was a trap, figured Bran, Lorn and I would go and spring it once Erend got back to town to keep an eye on the boys in case it went to Bung, how do you know this Aloy of the Nora?”

“Just Aloy is fine, and that, that’s a longer story” Aloy sipped at the sweet spiced mead and closed her eyes waiting for the barrage, “Short answer is I have second sight, slightly longer, machine not magic, beyond that, well you may want to get some scrappersap.”

Avad asked shrewdly, “does this have anything to do with the reports of a machine tamer that have come in over the last day?

Aloy nodded, “That would be me.”

Ersa looked at her appraisingly, “you look to be a useful friend Aloy, and I am guessing I’d not enjoy being your enemy,”

“Nor I yours” Aloy said shortly, nibbling at a piece of cheese with sharp white teeth, “So let's not, let’s have a drink, eat some more lunch, plan how to spoil Dervhal’s ambush, before I head to the Sun ring to rescue Itamen”.

Avad sprayed the table with fine Carja wine, in panicked tones “What? You? Marad will..”

Aloy held up her hand, “I’ll go and help finish what Vanesha has started, don’t worry, I have a plan for that, it’s the rest I could use a hand with,”

They sat and they ate and they moved the salt cellars around until they had a decent plan, one that would not lead to the timeline Aloy had foreseen, she was still flying under the radar, so getting Itamen out should be even easier, but there was still a lot to ponder.

Erend brought up the two points the focus had uncovered and Ersa agreed to send Lorn to the Claim as an escort to Hunter’s Gathering, Avad agreed to have Marad turn the young redguardsman.

By the bottom of their second glasses they were laughing together like old friends, Aloy and Ersa arm wrestled, winning 1 each and deciding not to go for a tie-breaker, they stood to leave.

“I’ll head to Vanguardsholme and get it all in motion, but first a word with my brother,” Ersa waved them toward the stairs, Aloy going first checking for dangers, seeing only the pipe Cora used to listed to the conversations in the Vanguard’s ‘private’ room.

Seating Avad in a corner to wait where She could watch all vectors, Aloy asked, “So what did you want to ask me Your Majesty?”

Avad looked startled again, “you keep surprising me Aloy, more second sight.”

Aloy realised she liked the way he said her name better now than she had before, “no just an insight into people, please find a way to acknowledge Ersa, or at least tell that you love her, you’ll regret it if you don’t”.

Avad opened and closed his mouth like a fish, “Aloy, tell her that, not me, I’d have put the crown of Sundom on her head when we first took it if I could have”.

Aloy bowed her head, looking him in the eye she smiled, “I’ll try and find a way

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Ersa rubbed both hands over her lovely face and looked worriedly at her brother, “you’re tupping the magical savage”.

Erend looked back at her flatly. “and you’re fucking the King of Sundom, what’s your point”.

Ersa’s face went from startled to affronted, back to startled, “I think I like what she does to you brother, serious then, if you’ll go straight for that.”

Erend looked at the floor, “the Nora don’t much go for serious outside of childrearing”

Ersa’s hand was on his arm, “you’d best knock her up then, lock it down.”

They laughed and embraced, Erend couldn’t help himself, “voiceofthesungodswife is a hammer blow of a name sis.”

Ersa punched his arm hard enough it’d bruise, “Swordwife and you know it.”

Erend touched the hair brushing her jaw and looked at her, “Ersa, times change, the claim needs to change with them, and you know, the clan would piss emselves.”

Ersa smirked, “ah well for that alone”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think, do you like her, I had been looking forward to this so much!


	15. before the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a series of P.O.V pieces on the way to battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thanks to Illusive pen for wrangling my run on sentences, first beta'd chapter so hopefully a bit more readable  
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllusivePen/pseuds/IllusivePen

Ersa appeared at the bottom of the stair, and Aloy stepped out of her way, relinquishing guard of the royal body, Ersa met her eyes, “see you tonight?”

Aloy nodded, “dusk at the gate.”

Erend kissed her cheek, “I need to go brief the vanguard, meet you here for supper? The lads will normally have 1 before we go out anyway.”

Aloy smiled, “I’ll keep myself entertained.” She didn’t want to remind him -again- that she knew that.

Walking out into the afternoon sun, Aloy stretched. She still felt so much more aware of her own body. Her skin felt almost tight.

She traded the handful of parts from the stormbird and the destroyed strider for shards and swapped her Carja gear for heavier armour for the night raid. Unable to resist, she selected the linen, leather, and steel armour of Oseram make.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ersa and Avad walked back to the palace in contemplative silence. It wasn’t until they had made it back to Avad’s chambers that they made any noise. Slamming the door behind them, they began to disrobe, sliding under the blankets they grinned,

Ersa rolled her eyes, making loud obvious sex noises. "Oh Avad, yes, rule me,” she smirked.

“My warrior queen,” Avad bit back a giggle,

After a couple of minutes of ridiculous pantomime, they felt certain the spies had wandered off in disgust, so they started to whisper.

“She’s adorable… terrifying and adorable,” said Ersa at the same time that Avad asked, “what do you think?”

Avad smiled and brushed the side of Ersa’s face. “I could think of someone else that might describe my dove,”

“It is not at all creepy to think that my lover thinks I am more similar than not to my baby bother’s magic girlfriend.” Ersa laughed, “part of me thinks she is too good to be true. I’ll stick by her on the raid tonight, just in case.”

Avad’s brow furrowed, “Why didn’t you tell me about Dervhal’s letter? Did you think I would hold you back?”

Ersa’s mouth twisted. “I suppose I didn’t want you to worry. Quick romp out with a couple of lads, bring his head back on a stick, you get plausible deniability.” Realizing it had been a few minutes, Ersa called out, “Again my King, you are a charger!”

Avad rolled his eyes. “You know he’s more valuable alive,” he whispered before calling out, “Yes! Then ride me!”

Ersa supressed a giggle. “Making me laugh when you know I won’t like what you’re telling me is cheating. He’d be more dangerous, too. Capturing him, and we’d have to take him back to the claim, which means time apart.”

Avad kissed up the inside of Ersa’s arm, "or we have your ‘baby brother and his magical girlfriend’ take him, and then we can have even more time with less sneaking…”

Ersa’s body rolled under Avad’s ministrations. “Turns out, Erend knows. He thinks you should make me queen just to piss off our clannies”.

Avad sat up and stared at her. "What? I thought ‘he’d be horrified’. I thought he’d ‘remind you of your sword oath and drag you back to the claim’. Ersa, really, we have his blessing?” a wide boyish grin split Avad’s face.

Ersa groaned, “we’ve been over this. Impolitic, borderline sacrilegious, the nobles would revolt.”

Avad silenced her with a kiss. "Keep listing benefits, and I’ll be impossible to stop." He wriggled his eyebrows, “At least let me talk to Marad. If there is a way to find it, he can.”

Ersa’s smile was soft, “Are you trying to ask me to maybe, if your chief adviser can figure out how to stop it starting a war, to marry you Avad?”

Avad kissed her again, “Maybe, would you maybe say yes?”

Ersa nibbled his bottom lip, then whispered very softly “maybe.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erend reached the large stone courtyard of Vanguardsholme. His booming voice echoed from the stone, “Vanguard attend.” The following noise sounded like a forge falling down a mountain as 60 odd men in various stages of readiness, wrapped in leather and steel, exploded into the courtyard as fast as their feet could take them.

“We have an action gents, heading out at dusk from the west gate. It’s going to be messy and personal. I want volunteers for the mission and to cover the patrols for those that are going.” Erend rolled his broad shoulders, swinging his hammer as if to punctuate the point.

Kiln stepped forward, backed by the 4 men in his unit, “Anything to get off interior patrol, you know that cap. Plus I want another look at the sparky heavyweight.”

Erend looked at him seriously, “We’ll be following intel that Aloy of the Nora brought us on the whereabouts and plans of Dervhal." He let the name sit in the air. "Yeah you heard me right, so try to pay her some mind now, folks.”

Erend had to swallow the bristle. Aloy would have to show her worth, herself, or the Vanguard would always see her as his doxy. Too much of the claim in them for it to work the other way around.

At the name Dervahl, a wave of consternation flowed across the yard. Four more units stepped forward. “Banor, you can manage the ground forces at home. I want double on, just in case. The rest of you, gear up, spend your goodbyes, and meet me at the Anvil for briefing and a pint before we head out”.

Erend stomped back to his, technically Ersa’s office and firmly shut the door. Pressing the focus back to his ear, he followed the protocols to open a direct line to Aloy, “Aloy can you hear me?”

“Nice and clear love,” Aloy’s voice sounded in his ear, making him start, even though he’d started the call.

“The men are briefed and ready, I’ve kept our personal involvement quiet. Don’t want 'em thinking they are jumping at the behest of my girl. Plus, it’d be a distraction.”

There was a pause, her voice quiet when she answered, “understood Erend. No distractions, as long as I get to distract you after. See you at the pub.” Her voice lifted a little at the end, teasing him, and leaving him hopeful she wasn’t too pissed off at him.

“Aye, in a bit, love,” he responded, and ended the call.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aloy stood staring in the glass at the way the heavy panels of the arrow breaker armour framed her body. Testing the movement, she hoped she was going to be able to get the hang of moving in this by tonight. The cloth bound most of her shock of red out of sight.

The focus in her ear beeped, and Aloy approved Erend’s call. “Aloy can you hear me?” Erend’s voice was deep and comforting in her ear, “Nice and clear, love,” she responded.

“The men are briefed and ready, I’ve kept our personal involvement quiet. Don’t want 'em thinking they are jumping at the behest of my girl. Plus, it’d be a distraction.”

Aloy’s body felt the words ‘my girl’ like the echo of the attack of the stormbird, and for a second Aloy let herself revel in it. Shaking her head, she responded, “understood Erend. No distractions, as long as I get to distract you after. See you at the pub.”

“Aye, in a bit, love,” Aloy heard a pip as Erend had closed the channel. She hugged herself at the affection, the care he had taken to make sure she understood and felt cherished.

Following the same patterns, she tagged Rost’s focus. After a minute’s pause, his deep voice answered, “Aloy, is all well?”

“Yes Rost, we made it in time. Planning to resolve the issue tonight.”

“Glad to hear it, Aloy. We got Olin’s family just before dawn. They’re safe, and we’ve bedded down at Lone Light. Aiming to be at Meridian by midday the day after tomorrow, depending how the striders hold out,”

Aloy allowed her mind to follow the pathways through Rost’s focus, reinforcing the Strider’s programming. “That sounds really good, Rost. I’m looking forward to seeing you after the battle”.

“And I you little one. I have not been this far or this long from you since you came to me. I have found myself turning to speak to you of the things I have seen.”

“The day after tomorrow then, Rost. Safe journey. I’ll let you know when the battle is done”.

Picking up her refreshed gear, she headed to the pub.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rost stared bleary-eyed at the roof of the tavern, wondering again at the road he was on. Aloy sounded strong and sure of herself. It was the eve of battle, and she sounded as if she were off to pick herbs by the stream near the cottage.

In her mind a half a year and a lifetime had passed. She knew her mother-mothers, now-and she knew her place in the world. Her goal. No wonder she felt certainty, but still he worried about his little girl.

If Alana had lived, she would have been in her mid twenties, probably mated, and a mother by now. He tried to imagine Imaya as a matriarch, but could only see his laughing mate rolling down the hillside with Alana, singing a nonsense song about the flowers. It was always the image that his mind brought first. That, or her blood on the wooden steps…

Blinking, he sat up and went to the stand pump to wash, re-dressing and preparing for the next stage of the journey. The striders were just where they were left, so Rost took himself for a mid-afternoon breakfast before they took the road to Meridian.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aloy got to the pub before the hordes. Miss Cora took her in like she was water at an oasis. "Look at you, little spark. Don’t you look the part! Oh perfect, to win all their hearts. Bless you, now, where are my spectacles?” she looked pointedly at Aloy.

Aloy scanned the room and spotted them on the floor near the stairs, “here by your listening pipe Miss Cora.” She picked them up and handed them over.

Cora pressed her finger to her lips and winked, preparing a tray with soft bread, cured meat, butter, and honey alongside a tall glass of spiced mead. “Now Aloy, if we sit you here just so,” she said and angled Aloy so the comet tail of her hair wouldn’t be visible from the door. “And this,” Cora smudged a little black coal powder from the dusty, and probably decorative, fire bucket across Aloy’s eye.

Aloy grinned at Cora’s little scheme. Now she was indistinguishable from any Oseram tinkerer in Meridian, if a little slight.

Men began to roll through the door. Cora put out platters on the bar and the men ate and muttered. How was Dervahl back and what they were up against were the main topics. Aloy scanned and observed, quietly drinking her mead and watching the room from hooded eyes.

Ersa walked in to a straightening of backs and a shuffle as they made room for her, the men quiet and respectful. She hauled to the bar and loaded a plate, watching her men with cool approval.

Erend walked in to a cheer and bashing of breastplates. If Ersa felt the difference, she didn’t say anything. “AHOY, AHOY, MY LITTLE DARLIN’S” he bellowed at the assembled warriors, “ARE WE READY TO MAKE WAR?” His soldiers cheered as he sauntered up, placing himself centrally between Ersa and Aloy and grabbing a hunk of cheese. “We doing alright, getting along?”

Aloy smirked that Erend had spotted her immediately, then Ersa said “Where’s your exotic pump at Erend? We need to be on our way."

Aloy laughed loudly at Ersa’s comment and Ersa turned, as if to tell the other woman to butt out before she realised suddenly who was laughing, and her eyes went very round.

Aloy stood up from the bar stool. “Ersa, Erend, would you like to introduce me or shall we just head out?” Ersa gaped, fishlike, and Erend chortled. “YO this is Aloy of the Nora, she’s their anointed which means she can do some bloody lethal shit. Shall we go kick arse?”

The assembled warriors beat their breastplates and surged out of the door. Aloy waved at Cora and tried to put Shard on the bar. “Paid in full out of Vanguard coffers” said Cora as she waved her off. “Luck!"

Ersa pulled to the side of Aloy as they charged toward the gate. “Look, sorry about that, like…” Aloy watched with wide eyes as Ersa ran out of words. “A little help?” Ersa asked.

Aloy laughed, “It’s fine Ersa, I understand. I have been outcast my whole life, I only met Erend a couple of days ago, I know how that looks.”

Ersa looked at her in horror. “No No No No, I was just teasing my baby brother! No, I, Fire and Spit Aloy, I didn’t mean it. Let’s start over, Ersa Swordwife. I dive feet first into my own mouth when attempting to tease my brother about the first girl he’s brought home in… ever. I’m an arse, and I’m sorry.”

Aloy looked at Ersa and she stumbled over her words, “ok,” she said, carrying on forward, “I’m going to go fetch a few machines, I wasn’t expecting close to 40 of us, so I think a couple of Broadheads just for the shock value.”

Ersa was shaken but she dropped low with Aloy and moved through the undergrowth a lot more smoothly than Erend ever managed, laying down a trip wire and drawing out one of a pair of broadheads, allowing Aloy to tame the other, before bringing it back around for Aloy to quickly tame the other.

“That was smooth” Ersa grinned, “I am looking forward to a real fight by your side now, Aloy of the Nora.”

Aloy grinned and mounted the broadhead. “Are you coming up, or do you want your own?

Ersa took 3 attempts but eventually got a steady seat, and they gambolled back toward the marching men. Aloy tapped her focus, “Erend, Ersa and I are incoming on Broadheads. Can you prepare the assembled?”

The click came back. “Will do. Did you get me one?”

Aloy laughed, “I did not. You can share with Ersa. Don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.”

Erend’s chuckle came back, “I knew I’d be paying for this. You look like something else in that armour Aloy. I am going to peel you out of it low and slow when we get home.”

Aloy wriggled in her seat, “I’ll hold you to that Vaguardsman. Well, I’ll hold you to something anyway.”

The focus clicked out, and she heard Erend without the aid of electronic assistance booming to the vanguard not to attack the machines.

Ersa looked startled. “How did he know,” she shouted across to Aloy. Aloy pointed to the focus on the side of her head.

“Oh right,” bellowed Ersa at the top of her lungs, just as they came up on the throng, “ain’t that your promise jewellery?”


	16. Dervahl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fight in the darkness and strategy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has one of my favourite lines I have ever written in it, can you tell which one?

The assembly below, already startled into silence by the two warrior women astride machines, were stunned. Kiln turned to his under captain and slapped the back of his armour, “you sly dog!” The assembly burst out cheering, clapping Erend on the back and declaring him a catch and a lucky bastard, there were fights over who would be leading the boars night and general chaos below.  
Ersa put her hand over her mouth, and looked at Aloy with a look that purely combined horror and the desperate urge to burst out laughing, Aloy looked poleaxed, eyes switching rapidly between Ersa and the madness below, trying not to feel the ache in her stomach from the look of anger and sadness on Erend’s face.  
Her ear beeped and she clicked the channel open,  
Erend’s voice was quick and quiet “don’t worry, we’ll fix it tomorrow, I just need you to play along right now, they’ll fight well for me and ‘my betrothed’ If we confuse them any more right now, it will mess them right up.”  
Aloy didn’t trust her voice so she just nodded.  
Erend’s voice came out clear over the hollering, “Listen you lot, let’s just do what we’re here for: smash Dervahl, his traitor loyalists, and their twisted machine into the ground. Then we can get back to Meridian and celebrate in style”.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The Vanguard shipping out was never a quiet affair. Marad stood by the throne with pursed lips. “Your Luminance, perhaps I should have been briefed before the Vanguard were deployed?”  
Avad frowned, “perhaps, but the Vanguard themselves were not briefed until they were on route. It was essential Dervahl not catch wind that we were on to him. His intention had been to draw Ersa out alone, you see.”  
Marad assented with a slight tilt of the head, “that was clear from the letter.”  
Avad looked consternated, “did everyone know about the letter but me?”  
Marad looked unashamed when he responded, “mistress Ersa is not aware I have seen it.”  
Avad laughed, “Of course… Erm, about Ersa…”  
Marad, as smooth as ever, responded, “ah yes, easing the way to an Oseram Sun Queen. I have a few suggestions, but I don’t think you’ll like one, and I don’t think she’ll like the other…”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The men cheered again, and Kiln stepped to his commanding officer. “Thanks for not knocking my head off back at Vanguardsholme, boss. I thought she was a looker in Carja nonsense. Now I see her in steel, you’ve got it bang on sir. She’s a keeper. Well done getting metal to her before the rest of us saw her and fought you for her.” The speech was obviously heartfelt and was a pure knife in the gut to Aloy as she watched Erend swallow bile as he plastered the smile back on his face and thanked the sandy haired fellow for the very Oseram compliment.  
As they forded the river and up toward Red ridge pass, Aloy thought of the last time she was here, Erend in his grief. She knew she had to make sure it was perfect. Sliding down from the broadhead, she made to nod at Erend and disappear into the tall grass, but he held up one finger. Grabbing her hand, he drew her closer, whispering “I will make this nonsense up to you somehow Red” he dipped her backward and kissed her in overblown dramatic style. The Vanguard didn’t beat their armour and cheer, but you could feel the energy change.  
“You’re an excellent leader, Erend. Apparently you always have been. You know just how to play… a crowd.” With that, Aloy slipped into the grass and faded away.  
The grass thinned but Aloy was red and brown on rocks much the same and she practically slithered through, quietly taking out the rear sentries, wondering if she could save them all a lot of bother by sliding up behind Dervahl and quietly slitting his throat.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Marad held his hands evenly. “If you were to take a cohort of wives, that one is Oseram would be exotic. You get the wife you want, some nobles get slightly elevated status, and Ersa doesn’t have the burden of…”  
Avad looked furious. “No. So what’s the one Ersa won’t like?”  
Marad was diffident. “It has a lot of variables, but if the party comes back with Dervahl sporting a heartbeat, you can use him as a bartering chip. It involves you taking him to the Claim, and presenting him to the Ealdormen, Ersa’s father, as dowry…”  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dervahl was ranting as Aloy perched far too close to him. “I’m going to show her pain. I’m going to make her think it’s her job to weep, treacherous bitch. The Ealdorman should have hit her harder. He certainly hit her brother hard enough to make him slow.”   
Dervahl’s vitriolic rant continued and confirmed some of Aloy’s darker suspicions over what had happened to Ersa in that cell in her timeline. Aloy backed slowly away from the madman, sliding back down the rock, only for the slightest rockfall to alert one of his lackeys. Aloy dropped low and called over the channel for the charge to begin. The two broadheads came barrelling down either flank, one sibling astride each. The charge of the vanguard came up the middle, and Dervahl screamed for his machine to be repositioned. Aloy popped out of her hiding space and clocked him clear in the temple with the butt of her spear, then kicked his demonic machine off the walkway clear into the ravine, taking the machine’s engineer with it. Now the fight truly began as the men below realised the attack and the remaining Oseram on the walkway came for Aloy.  
As Ersa and Erend stampeded their machines through the ground-based zealots, Aloy was a whirlwind on the boardwalk, the moon silhouetting her balletic brutality As the Vanguard cleared the ground troops, Ersa leapt from her mount to the other end of the platform. “Last one to the middle buys,” she shrieked as a second heavy thud alerted Aloy that Erend had followed suit, “not on, sis. Aloy’s already in the middle, so she can’t get lumbered with the tab.”  
With a howl of laughter Ersa cried out, “First one to the middle gets to snog your bird - sorry - bride.”  
Aloy’s frayed nerves snapped at that point and her spear practically disappeared in a tornado of blood and pain, until she fought her way to Erend, an Erend who was clearly more worried about his girl than the rest of the brawl. Checking into the focus, Erend whispered, “hold on Red, I’m coming. You don’t have to do this alone. I’ve got you, just hold on for me Red.”  
His hammer flew like a glinthawk, wicked, fast, and clean as he made his way to where Aloy fought, a quiet power overtaking him, an economy of movement that he had never owned, until he was by her side. Checking the overlook to make sure Ersa had the remaining combatant handled, Erend wrapped his arms around Aloy as he had back at the fire in the Embrace, the first time he had seen her this overwrought.  
“Look, Dervhal’s down. See? She’s ok, see? Look,” Erend kissed the tears away from Aloy’s eyes and gave her that grin, that wide innocent smile. Even with no understanding as to Aloy’s anguish, he still tried to heal her. “Look love,” he said as he grabbed his sister’s face with a large hand, “hideous as ever and both ears. She’s fine, look. She’s fine, we fixed it. We did it, baby, we fixed it.”  
Ersa batted his hand away from her face, “Whatever you saw wasn’t so good for me was it, Aloy?”  
Aloy watched in horror as Dervahl’s hand, with sword loosely grasped, began to rise. She pointed, and Ersa stamped on his wrist with her steel shod boot. A sickening, splintering noise emitted as his sword hand, his dominant hand, became jelly beneath her standard issue Vanguard shitkicker. Another kick to the side of his head returned him to unconsciousness.  
“S’alright girl,” Ersa smiled reassuringly. “We did it. Whatever future you saw before, it’s gone.”  
Aloy stood red eyed and trembling as the Vanguard mopped up the stragglers below. Erend stood quietly with his arms around her. He didn’t know what to say to drag her out of her dark misery, so he didn’t try. He just held her, quiet and still in the chill of the desert night.


	17. Juxtaposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avad learns more about the claim, and we learn a little about Rost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With love as always to the incredible IllusivePen. Without whom you would all be left lapsing into a comma.  
> So what is your favourite quest that we need to do next?

Aloy silently secured the bound warlord to the back of the broadhead, not trusting her voice in the darkness.  
The future was changing, and as it did, it became less certain. With each change, Aloy became less sure of each move but more sure of her destination.  
Clicking at her focus Aloy asked with a curious tone, “Erend, do you not want to be wed?”  
Erend, who had been collecting fallen weaponry, coughed and dropped an arm full of polearms, “What?”  
“Do you ever wish to be married?” Aloy asked again, the curiosity in her tone was clear, and just a little playful.  
Erend laughed, “Fire and spit, Aloy. Are you proposing to me? Are you going to pay me a dowry too?”  
Aloy smiled, “I’m saying life is short, and it doesn’t have to be a ‘fiction just until’ if you don’t want it to be.”  
Erend stomped across to her, grabbed her by the waist and spun her around, “Ah ha, she likes me.”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Avad walked the echoing halls of the sun palace to Marad’s secluded study. Marad’s head was resting on a cross-referenced pile of documents, layered with ribbons and pin tags, a momentous swathe of legislation and precedent. Marad had clearly been looking into ‘the Ersa issue’ for more than just the few hours since he had asked.  
Avad placed the hot mug of tea on the side table by his beleaguered advisor, “Marad, Marad, you should go to bed.”  
Marad looked up from the stack, “Your Radiance! My apologies, I was..”  
“Exhausted Marad,” interrupted Avad. “I can see that, and I think I see why. So how does one go about courting in the claim?”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erend couldn’t stop himself from teasing Aloy even if he wanted to, “One night and she wants me forever. Must be my physique.”  
Aloy was laughing and kicking her feet, “can you put me down now Erend?”  
“Can?Yes. Don’t think I shall though. Got to keep the body in shape for my lady.” He laughed, nonetheless putting her feet back on terra firma as she requested.  
He ran his finger pads down her cheek bone. “Maybe an earring.” Down the column of her throat. “A necklace?” Over the leather and linen of her shoulder drawing spirals on her skin. “An armlet?” Down her arm until he grasped her wrist, pulling it up to his lips. “A bracelet?” Pressing a kiss to her open hand. “Mayhap a ring? If you want to do this for real, Red, I want something of mine on you to make -my- promise.”  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Marad sipped his coffee. “Hertand Ealdorman is as bad a leader as he was a father. We need to manoeuvre him so that refusing your suit will reduce his prestige. My belief is that we will need to win over the council whilst persuading our own nobles they are getting a win over the claim.”  
Avad looked confused, “How do we take it to the council in the first place? Surely it would be a family matter?”  
Marad waited for Avad to put his cup down, “Well, first we’ll need to make the petition for her divorce”.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was nearly dawn by the time the Vanguard, and their esteemed guest, returned to Meridian with their prisoner, and everyone was running at the edge of their nerve. The red gold spires of Meridian were beyond welcoming. Once Dervahl was slammed into a cell, the body of men returned to vanguardsholme to count back in communally owned gear, count heads, swap body counts, and let the last of the warrior out before going home to their families.  
It could have been difficult I suppose, but for once in Erend’s life, everything was easy. Dervahl’s ass was in a cell, and he had the best girl in the world - even if part of him was sure she was in love with someone else who was also him. That gave him a headache, and he didn’t like to think about that - and the nightmare with his sister hadn't come to pass. Erend felt pretty good. “C'mon Red, let's go home".  
Aloy felt pretty good. For all the uncertainty, the task was properly begun: Olin's family were safe, Ersa was safe, and a dozen tasks that had cost her blood and shoe leather were ticked off without much effort because she -knew- who she could trust. The waves of fear and uncertainty seemed to dissipate with the sunrise over Meridian, and she had Erend. She smiled up at him and, much to the cheers of the Vanguard, allowed him to pick her up and carry her bridal style through Meridian's gleaming courtyards to his apartment. “Home. Home sounds good.”  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Ersa was tired. In less than a turn of the sun, her baby brother had brought back some tribal witch who fought like a demon and definitely saw things she shouldn’t. Her relationship with Avad looked like it was about to come out, and they had captured and imprisoned a man who was obsessed with and wished to murder her. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but she had to go -debrief- normally code for reassuring Avad she was ok, and probably removing her briefs, but today a little more tactical. The steps up to the Palace seemed impossible. Ersa waited for the bell that chimed out the end of dawn rites to finish before hauling herself up the gleaming spire.  
She waited for Avad to finish his piece, but butted in before the next noble grabbed his attention. Ersa slammed her fist against the leather of her breastplate. “Your Luminance. Captain of the Vanguard reporting. Prisoner in custody. Permission to report in private my Lord?”  
Avad’s lip twitched in the way Ersa knew so well to mean he was thinking something not for mixed company. “I have Lady Emilia waiting so beautifully for my attention, please wait in my study, Captain. I'll be along presently.”  
Ersa knew he was at least piqued with her, if not downright pissed off from that. They had lived and loved in each other’s skin for too long not to know what the other was feeling. Once again, playing up her role, she slammed her armoured fist against her breastplate, sounding much like a smithy with an open door, “At your will, my liege,” and departed for Avad's private study.  
Marad was waiting when she arrived. “You really ought to have told him what Swordwife meant, Ersa. He's upset, frantic, desperately looking for loopholes."  
Ersa shook her head, “There aren’t any. But this isn’t the claim, so what’s it matter? Most Swordwives retire and settle down with someone outside the claim. No-one’s bothered much by it excepting old blowhards like our father.”  
Marad dragged a hand across his tired face. “Avad isn’t a Brightmarket shoe vendor, he’s the king of the Sundom; and old blowhards like your father make up the council. Don’t you understand Ersa? Making you his queen could provoke an international incident.”  
Ersa threw her helmet to the floor with a clang, “I DON’T WANT TO BE HIS CHUFFING QUEEN!” Ersa held up her hand and almost sobbed, “I want to be his wife. I’m sorry Marad, I’m tired.”  
The senior spymaster gave her a warm look. “Ersa, I don’t think you could have said anything that would make my old heart happier. Let me make this happen. Call it a gift, if you will. To do this, we need to go to the claim and have you be released from your ‘wedding vows’.”  
Ersa sighed, “it would be easier to find him a nice expedient Carja bride and I could just be his odd concubine.”  
Marad smirked, “I think he’d hate that more than you would. He couldn’t even hide his regard for you when you were his father’s slave. Not to mention it would dishonour the poor woman.”  
Ersa stared at her boots, “there is that. The Claim then?”  
Marad nodded and shuffled his papers, “The Claim.”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Rost tried to note the moment he truly believed himself alive once more. Taking the death seeker’s mark had been easy when Alana died; he had been certain that he had died with her.  
He had wept through Aloy’s first steps. Her first words had been late, as it had taken him a while to remember that infants need to hear words to learn to speak them. Aloy had always been curious, bright, quick to laugh and so quick. Rost remembered the guilt he had felt chasing her across the meadow, sliding down into a patch of wildflower, and laughing as he snatched her up into his arms.  
He’d always imagined finishing his days out like Greta, perhaps with some child of Aloy bringing him baskets that she had made up.  
When she was five they had built a snowgrazer, made glinthawks, played in the snow until their faces were rosy from the snow and from laughing. She had dozed off in his arms in front of the fire and Rost had gently kissed her frosty nose. That was the moment he knew that if he was going to give her the foundation she needed, he would have to take a bit of his soul back each day; and he had. As she had grown, she had ignited his heart, until saying goodbye to her would have broken it.  
When she gave him this quest, he realised that Aloy was never going to settle in the embrace, so perhaps, if they survived saving the world, one day he’d play in the snow with his grandchildren after all.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Avad walked slowly to his chambers, beyond tired. His hand grasped the doorknob to his private quarters to hear a loud metallic clatter followed by a shout “I DON’T WANT TO BE HIS CHUFFING QUEEN!” Avad and Ersa had been partners in the truest sense for long enough that he knew better than to take that at face value, but she was clearly upset and it was clearly a private conversation. He held his breath for a second and heard her voice crack as she told his loyal adviser that she just wanted to be his wife. Pressing his hand against the wood, he took a deep breath and made his way around to the other door, slipping quietly into his private chamber.  
‘His’ chamber included an armour stand and a heavy weapons rack. ‘His’ chamber had an Oseram steam shower pump as well as a Carja bath. ‘His’ chamber had a separate vanity with her under layers in it, and her few gowns in the wardrobes. Her jewellery, such as it was, sat on ‘his’ dresser. It’d be good to finally be free of the deception. She’d been his wife in all but title since the liberation.  
Avad kicked the boiler into life and grabbed ‘his’ favourite robe out with the towels ready for her to wash off the blood and grime.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“I’m just saying I gotta ask him, Red; it’s just respectful.” Erend was wearing just his arming trews, as he rubbed the charcoal brush over his teeth, leaning over the copper basin and spitting, swilling and spitting from a bottle of sappersap sat on the shelf by the glass.  
Aloy sat on the edge of the bed unpicking her braids. “I’m just saying that he’s going to be confused, and what if he says no? ‘Thanks for that, it was a formality and we’re going to ignore you’? It's odd.”  
“I’m gonna ask him Red, and if he says no then I am gonna do what I can to prove I’m worthy. I wanna start out right, and that means getting your dad’s blessing.” Erend shrugged as he slipped out of his trews and kicked the Oseram boiler pump in the corner, sending hot rain style water streaming down his muscular body and cutting off the blood to Aloy’s brain.


	18. more bridging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the more bridging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Illusion is unwell, this is unbetad, send them love please

He ran his hands through his mohawk, rippling the muscles of his shoulders.

“You remember you told me that was something you did to show off?” Aloy smiled at the memory, the moment that this Erend, her Erend, diverged from the idealised memory.

“Enjoying the view Red?” He flexed his thigh, “It’s a nice way to get clean, if you wanted to join me.”

Aloy uncurled from the foot of the bed and wriggled out of her small clothes as she joined him under the steaming hot water.

The rivulets of water flickered from his hard body to her long lean muscles that were made almost wicked by the soft comfort of breast and hip.

“It’s not a hot soak, but it takes the battle grime away so you’re not sat in it” her face to his broad, furred chest, he rubbed her muscles with the hard brown soap, she writhed under the steady pressure, a low moan escaping her lips as he kneaded away the tension.  
She turned her head to rest it against his heart, enjoying the way the water poured over the side of her head and the warmth of both the water and his body, “I am sure there are a world of athletic things we could do in here, but I’d really rather we just lay together love, I’m beyond tired.”

Erend kissed the top of her head, letting the water run over them both "in my experience Red, showers are great for foreplay but we're better off taking this to bed either way."

The lovers finished getting each clean and curled up together on the bed, still damp, wrapped in broad cotton sheets, finally sleeping.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ersa kicked the bedroom door open, “Go sleep Marad, we’ll plot futility tomorrow” throwing her armour in piles as she stripped down she saw Avad leaning against the doorpost to the bathroom. “Hello love, how long have you been in here?”

Avad smirked at her, the steam from the bath he was drawing for her was curling his dark hair, and the open raw silk shirt lent him a rakish air, “long enough to have heard somethings I’m secure enough to know probably had context.”

Ersa smiled, “you’re really going to drag me back in to the smog, to stand in front of my boar of a father and swear that I will never again raise a sword, so I can come back and wear stupid hats with you?”

“Crowns Ersa, if you’re going to be queen you at least need to refer to them as crowns, not ‘stupid hats’ unless you want me to relinquish the throne we fought so hard for to sell lumbar in freeheap.” He quirked his eyebrow and gestured toward the tub, “come and let me wash your hair love, we can plan your hats”.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rost’s strider ate the miles, Olin’s son, Coln, sat in front of him asking all the questions Olin had warned him about and about a hundredweight more besides.

“Mister Rost, my dad says the metal beasts are born not made, how does that come to past”

“Mister Rost, this luminous braiding covers a hydraulic pathway, do you think we could claim it?”

“Mister Rost, what are those funny markings on your face?”

“Mister Rost… why did you help my dad.”

Rost smiled, “I know nothing of the metal beast, Aloy will tell you more when we reach Meridian, my face is marked with my name one might say, in the way of my people, much like your people tell their stories in their ink, I helped your father because it was the right thing, and one should always do the right thing, especially if it is difficult.”

Rost smiled a quiet smile, and wondered if he’d be building straw grazers outside Meridian or in the Claim.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ersa, Captain of the Vanguard, Oseram Swordwife, luxuriated in the 7’ copper tub filled to the brim with fragrant bubbles as Radiant Avad, 15th king of all Sundom finger combed the tangles from her thick dark brown mop, “What are these hard pieces I keep picking out?” he asked confusedly.

“Probably bone,” she muttered, “that warmaiden my brother is marrying sprays when she whirls that spear.” Ersa scrubbed at a patch on her shoulder, unable to resolve whether it was a scrape or more dried splatter.

Avad coughed and looked with some distaste at the small pile of debris he had picked from his beloved’s hair, “did you say Erend means to marry the girl? Didn’t they only meet a few days ago?”

Ersa rolled her shoulders, stretching the aching muscle there, “Erend is not going to be dissuaded, and, well she seems like a good enough egg, a bit high strung but honestly, so is Erend. I think that second sight of hers troubles her though, she is good for him in battle at least, cleans up all the sloppy bits, Erend’s always been a bit lazy, I reckon she could even persuade him to wear a helmet… slag,” Ersa trailed into the cuss, “I’m going to need his help aren’t I?”

Avad laughed at her sudden profanity, “What do you think you need Erend’s help for my love?”

Ersa turned over in the bubbles to float on her stomach and face her affianced, “All the dowry and negotiations with the claim are going to mean about the same as a bag full of ridgewood if the nobility here ousts you, unless you really do fancy learning a new trade aside from kinging, because that is starting to sound appealing.”

Avad leant down and claimed her mouth in a semi serious fashion, then kissing her eyelids “and you think Erend can help you with a charm offensive?” his soft, slim fingered hands dipped below the bubbles, caressing the tops of her soft breasts.

“Yes, now stop talking about my brother and give me more of that please” Ersa arched her back pressing her flesh into those wicked hands.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The heavy browed, dark skinned Carja slipped into the booth in the small café, the inside cooler than the outside, air heavy with the smell of cardamom coffee.

Marad waved his hand bidding the other man relax and pushed across a plate of spiced biscuits.

“Are you well sire? The lark informs that the dove and her fledgling are ready to return to the roost if certain other matters can be resolved”

Marad smiled a warm and comfortable smile, “I had received prior notice, I don’t need you to return to her, just make sure this pass is clear.” He handed a slip of paper across with a map, “Have another biscuit Hassan, how are your daughters?”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aloy’s eyes snapped open, it was hot, and she appeared to be still wrapped in a bathing sheet, sprawled across Erend’s massive bed, and he appeared to be using her hair as a pillow, “Erend, Erend, wake up”.

He moaned and rolled closer to her, coincidentally pinning even more of her woven tresses to the mattress, “I was enjoying that dream, I’d tricked this beautiful Nora Warmaiden into marrying me and had trapped her in my bed”

Aloy pouted at him, “Erend you have actually trapped me in your bed, you’re on my hair”.

Erend smiled slowly, “trapped you say?” his large calloused hand brushed softly at her thigh, “At my mercy maybe?” his fingertips brushed across her muscled stomach and up across her ribs.

Aloy’s body moved luxuriantly at the caress, the pull of her hair alongside his teasing fingers tightening a coil in her stomach, making her skin gooseflesh and her hips raise of their own accord, still Erend continued his slow exploration.

Lifting his head but replacing it with an intentional hand he pillaged her mouth with his own, pushing his knee between her legs, opening her up, his free hand still oh so gently palming her breast as she ground her heat against his broad thigh.


	19. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our players gather to make plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back IllusivePen the world's best beta.  
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllusivePen/pseuds/IllusivePen
> 
> Sorry for the delay while I wandered of on side projects, I'd promise better discipline but that would be such a lie.

After a mutually satisfying awakening Erend and Aloy made their slow way to the palace as the sun began to dip. Too much had happened for them to worry much about their days and nights getting flipped; they were just revelling in the warmth of the evening sun and each other.

An elderly servant met them at the bottom of the stairs. “Good evening Erend. Congratulations. His Luminance and his affianced will meet you at the balcony.”   
Erend grinned. “Thanks Katia.” He patted her shoulder and nodded, reaching his hand to Aloy as they moved faster and raced laughing up the steps.

“Sis” Erend bellowed, “Open the beer, time to celebrate”.

Ersa and Avad were sat on cushions on the terrace around a low table loaded with delicacies of Sundom. Ersa was wearing a soft gold Carja silk gown and no shoes, the long slits at the sides showing corded muscle. Avad was shirtless as customary. His head, however, was unadorned. The loose, cream silk trousers with the red braided belt looked fitted for comfort. Hiis curls were damp, muscles glistening, and smile broad and welcoming. “My friends, celebrations all around.” 

Erend and Aloy curled into the cushions on the other side of the table, loaded their plates and filled their cups. They filled in details, laughing at Avad’s encounter with the ickier bits of their adventure. Sunset quietly stretched as they munched and grinned, a gentle bubble of joy and hope filling the space.

When everyone had slowed their devouring, Avad raised a glass, “to fresh starts and brighter tomorrows.”

Ersa grinned, “isn’t brighter tomorrows your purview ‘your luminance’?”

Avad looked at her fondly, “in theology yes. In reality, making tomorrow brighter I have to leave to heroes like you” he waved his glass at his intended bride and their guests, “while I sit and ‘wear hats’ as you say.”

The air gained weight, until Ersa looked at him and spoke in a gentle tone, “are you trying to make me reconsider love, because you’re half a decade too late to stop me loving you, and if the only way to do that means hanging up my sword then so be it. I can always send him” Ersa waved her hand at Erend who grinned and nodded.

Erend spoke, “If we’re all done being all noble like, shall we strategise or did you want to wait for Marad?”

Aloy spoke up, “let’s get started, I need to go and fetch Itamen and Nasadi, save a little girl and help redeem Uthid, oh, and break in to the old world ruins under the Sun Ring, preferably whilst killing Helis and knocking out enough of the Eclipse that I can take down Hades before he notices me.”

Ersa grinned, “I need to bring the Carja nobles on side, persuade the council to rescind my swordwife status whilst somehow keeping the loyalty of the vanguard, and persuade our bung of a father to be happy with me marrying a man he hates, oh and learn how to queen.”

Erend looked at the two most important women in his world, “I need a drink.”

There was a gentle laughter and then Ersa and Aloy spoke almost in unison, “what you need to…” : “All you really need to…” 

A certain amount of ‘you firsting’ followed until eventually Aloy said, “You need a big showy win, something that Avad can use to say, ‘there can be no queen than this’ and you’re all set.”

Ersa grinned and her hazel eyes sparkled, “And you need back-up on a big showy rescue mission that will cut the legs out from beneath the Shadow Carja, I think we might be able to help each other, if nothing else, if we do this first we can all go to the claim together and father might be so horrified at Erend marrying a ‘Nora savage’ I can slip under the radar.”

Erend growled at her, “she only proposed because you embarrassed her. Look we’re going to have to get a lot of folks used to the idea that you are a woman sis, we need to start that now, have you got any more fripperies like that?”

Avad laughed, “Ersa has a number of very elegant gowns Erend, what do you have in mind?”

Erend wrinkled his nose at the thought, “we need to make use of Aloy, sorry my love, and, Talanah isn’t it, at the lodge, show the Carja nobles some warrior women, and then we need to put a big sign on the woman part for Ersa where they hadn’t seen it before, then we make with the heroics, and Ersa is primed.

Aloy nodded, “I’ll need to go and make contact with the lodge, let’s see if we can’t make Talanah a bit more important by the time the dancing starts, how long will you need Avad?”

Avad looked pensive, if pouty, “Oh good I get to help by planning a party. I had a sword once you know, helped retake the city, anyone remember that?” he sighed “ About a tenday to be honest, for a -really- good party, what shall we celebrate”

Ersa nodded, “I think the promotion and engagement of the newly minted Captain of the Vanguard should do it, along with my retirement party?”

It was Erend’s turn to look nonplussed, “What Sis? you’re the Captain, I’m just a Hammer and a sense of humour!”

Ersa shook her head, “you said it yourself brother mine, people need time to get used to ideas. The Carja get to meet Ersa the woman, The Vanguard gets Erend as their Captain, I get to be a private citizen, who can go on an adventure with your blushing bride.”

Avad laughed heartily, "I think you have talked yourself into a spell at home in Meridian with me Erend," Avad shifted his focus to Aloy "you must go the royal outfitter, Ersa can take you, and I'll arrange everything for your introduction to society, and of course my darling Ersa's spectacular re-introduction."   
He smiled at Ersa almost gleefully, "between this fair council I feel there is nothing we cannot accomplish."

Erend sat metaphorically poleaxed, “so I’ll be staying here, ‘leading’ the Vanguard absolutely nowhere while both halves of my heart attack the stronghold of the enemy without me? I have to admit that I no-longer like this plan.”

Avad smiled, “I have pointers my friend, on the upside, before that there is a party you’ll hate and after a hike through the snow with a dangerous prisoner back to visit with your estranged father in the lands you never wished to return to… and the waiting will still be the worst part.”


End file.
